INSPIRE BEYOND BOOKS : What if travelling could make a difference?

Traveling and Relaxation has its place, but with a little effort and a different approach, we can also use our holiday time to create change, if we so choose. The beautiful thing about traveling to a different place, is that often it teaches us that we have many things in common with people who appear to be very different from us, which in turn helps us see those commonalities through a new lens. What if by traveling you could use what you know or what you have to bring meaningful change and at the same time enjoy yourself ?

This is the story of Charles

Our Core business as Super Librarians is to take books to hard to reach places and as best as we can , spread a love of reading and improve the levels of literacy.In a little village in Laikipia North, called Ntalabany, I met Charles about 2 years ago. He was around 10 years old at the time. This was our first visit, and though he enjoyed the reading activity, on his own, he was really struggling to read. The lack of reading material and especially ones he could enjoy was a hindrance to his reading progress. As we were leaving, we left story books with the children. It took us a while to go back, but on our second visit, when I sat down to read them a story, he volunteered to help me. The most surprising thing was his fluency and though he struggled with one or two words, there was marked improvement. So what changed? A few books at the right time and books that a child could enjoy. A difference we made because we had people of good will who donated books and therefore we were able to give the children in this village.

As Victor Hugo put it, “To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark." Reading is a gateway to learning. It opens up the world to children, and it gives them the skills they need to succeed in school and in life. But not all children have access to books. Did you know that children should be able to read by age 10? According to a report by UNESCO and the World Bank, by 2030, at least 43% of children aged 10 will still not be reading proficiently.

In Kenya, the situation is not any better. A study by the United Nations found that 97% of households in Sub-Saharan Africa have two or fewer children's books. This is a problem because reading is essential for children's development, and it's something that we should all be investing in. In your own households how many books do you have?

Reading unfortunately, has not been prioritized. As a community librarian, I know this because of the struggle we have to go through to get books into the hands of children. It is a fact that unless you are in a private school which understands the value of reading , chances are your children will never experience books for fun and enjoyment because as we have learnt even at home we have very few books from which children or even ourselves can choose from.

The sad reality though, is that a study by KNBS showed that Kenyans spend the biggest percentage on airtime, both for data and minutes, and often to speak stories. We have created a billion shilling industry out of it. Yet a good book will cost you an average of Ksh 250 only. Very few people in this country, will every actually, intentionally visit book stores to buy story books. Instead it is often stationery, curriculum books and because CBC is not giving us much of a choice, art material,

But what if we can start re investing money in the love of reading? What if we decide here now that once in a while you and I will make a difference by investing as little as ksh 250 in buying a good book for a child somewhere? It could be your own, or working through community libraries like ours at INSPIRE (https://www.facebook.com/Inspire.Nyeri), help us get books out there in places where they are really needed. Personally, every time I go out there, I do my best to ensure that there is a child somewhere I will leave with a book or books because I know the value of a book. But I cannot do it alone. They need your help. All it takes is as little as Ksh 250.

It is a fact that whatever you feed grows. We need feed our minds and those of those who matter to us by making a choice to invest in the love of reading for our children, ourselves and our community. IT IS not too late. You can begin today. All it takes is 250 shillings to GIFT families WITH the power of words and the power of books. TO SHOW THEM that books open the doors to possibility, opportunity, imagination, and the pursuit of freedom. I've experienced it firsthand.

In conclusion; Jim Trelease said a very important thing.

“A nation that does not read much does not know much. And a nation that does not know much is more likely to make poor choices in the home, the marketplace, the jury box, and the voting booth. And those decisions ultimately affect the entire nation...the literate and illiterate.”

To make a difference in our world we need to start making a difference where it matters most. At the point where we promote a love of reading. You and me can be at the forefront of making that change . it takes very little. You can