Donate to the Lwimba Library Project

My community and I are working to construct a building to be used as a resource center and library. I am writing to you today asking for your support and contributions.

Zambia is ranked 165th out of 177 countries on the human development index (http://hdrstats.undp.org/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_ZMB.html). In 2005 literacy rates were estimated at 68%. They are estimated at under 50% in our zone. Lwimba is a rural community of mainly subsistence farmers. My neighbors and I all live in mud huts with thatched roofs, cook over a fire, and bathe out of a bucket. 63% of Zambians live off less than $1USD per day (http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/global?page=cr09-za-00&post=19&cid=ZA#Poverty).

Despite my glaring differences, I've been welcomed into this community with friendship and warmth. Though living with poverty, illiteracy, disease and limited access to resources that might alleviate these burdens, I've found most Zambians generous and happy people.

The more I see of development work the more I am convinced that the most effective change comes when people are given the resources and knowledge to change their own lives and guide the direction of their own community. There are a lot of pressing needs in Zambia and many of them are tied to lack of education. It is difficult to ask someone to participate in their community's development if they cannot read, have not developed their analytical thinking skills, or exercised their creativity. I believe books can help with all of those things. It will help Betty, who is 8, learn her alphabet, Dilas learn English so she can pass her Grade 9 Exams and the women in my English/ Literacy class be able to read to their own children.

This building will be a place to store and organize a library collection, making a wide range of reading and reference materials available to the pupils, the teachers, and the community. The building will also provide a space for zonal in-service meetings, as well as other community meetings. My main Zambian colleague, Mr. Chuimia, is the Zonal In-service Coordinator for our zone and we are already working to improve literacy teaching skills. If the building is complete by Sept 2008 as we hope, we can spend the remaining 8 months of my service making sure the library system is organized and everyone has the skills to utilize this resource. There will be two volunteers in the community after I leave but for the project to be sustainable and long lived, community members should have the skills needed to manage and maintain the library.

I know a building is a big project and will take a bit of money, but I would not be asking you for contributions if I did not believe in the inherent benefits of this structure or if I felt the community was not committed to the idea. They have already burnt two kilns of bricks for the project and are prepared to mold and burn more when the rain subsides.

So what can you do to help? You can donate RIGHT NOW on the Peace Corps Website:

(Go to peacecorps.gov >Donate now >Volunteer Projects >Africa >Zambia, K. Campbell)

We would like to have the building complete by September so we are looking to start construction in June, which means there is no time to waste!

But also tell other people about this project! The more people who here about this project, the more likely it will be successful. Tell your family, friends, co workers, etc! My social network is limited, but my network's network is limitless!

For more information visit our website at lwimba.blogspot.com