James Bayanai, Director of the Zimbabwe Youth Development Foundation Trust, confirmed the project.
“The arrangement to construct a first ever community library in Chirumanzu is at an advanced stage. I am grateful to our sponsor Bisila Bokoko team, who is supporting this initiative. Construction is starting early 2013. The multifaceted library will be composed of a conventional reading library as well as a computer centre,” he said in an interview.
Bokoko is the United States-based Bisila Bokoko African Literacy Project, which supports education initiatives in the continent. It shares the same vision as the Zimbabwe Youth Development Foundation Trust, which seeks to promote education in Zimbabwe’s rural communities.
The Zimbabwean organisation is running a number of projects to improve education in the disadvantaged communities in the country. Among these is a rural scholarship, the Bisila Bokoko Zimbabwe Rural Scholarship, which is benefiting 25 schoolchildren around the country.
It also sources reading material from various international organisations. So far, the ongoing process has seen the distribution of more than 30 000 books to various rural schools.
“I believe education is power. As such, everyone should be afforded the right to education,” Bayanayi said.
Chirumanzu in Masvingo province is one of the most disadvantaged areas in the province. A recent survey established that the area has 30 primary schools and 17 secondary schools. None of these schools offers computer education. In addition, none has a viable library facility and the student book ratio is 1 book per 40 students.
Post published in: News