Why Libraries?

In honor of International Literacy Day on September 8th, I decided to write about why I began the Books For Cameroon project. I am a business volunteer, but why am I building libraries? Today, I will share the story behind this motivation.

As a kid growing up in Taiwan, I was definitely an introvert. While didn't realize it at the time, I didn't have a ton of friends. Partly culture, partly personality, I passed most of my free time either fighting with my sister or relishing in books. My parents were too busy to read to me, but they bought me lots of books on tapes to listen to before going to sleep.

And then there were times when my mother is too busy with errands or work, but instead of finding a baby-sitter for a few hours, she dropped me off at the children's library near our house. I loved it there. The library was kid friendly and had hard-wood floors. I could lay on the floor and read all day long. The only thing I did not like about the library was their 3-book check out policy. I could only borrow three books at a time and I'd often finish those three books by the next day.

The hours spent at the children's library shaped me in ways I hadn't realized. I became very curious about the world and its people. Years of reading also gave me the skills to learn anything I want through a book. In college, I often said that going to classes can seem like a waste of time since I feel like I teach myself most things from textbooks. With advent of Internet, I don't visit libraries anymore. But just yesterday, while sitting in a small village of West Africa, I was indulging in the collection on international finance and development from Google Books.

My first few months at post, I was bored out of my mind. So to find something to do, anything, I began teaching English at the 4-room primary school by my house. Through my interaction with the children, I realized they can't read, at all. Even at a 5th grade level, many of the kids can't read. And then I realized most of these kids have never even seen a story book in their life. I thought how differently my childhood and life would be if my mom hadn't dropped me off at the library during her errands and busy afternoons.

Most of us take the ability to read for granted. But being here allow me to see the harsh reality that in fact, a lot of people have trouble reading. Even the adults in my business classes. While they can read, they can't read at ease. Hardly anyone in village ever read for leisure. I wanted to change this, and I thought it would be the easiest to begin at the schools. Bring books into the country, and then provide training so people know what a library is and how to utilize it.

I never imagined that I would be building 30 libraries. But since I somehow got myself into this situation, I will somehow find a way to make it happen. In honor of International Literacy Day, I hope all of you reading this will consider making a small contribution to this project (Http://www.booksforcameroon.org). I know I haven't picked the best time to launch a project like this given the state of economy. Yet, $5 isn't much to much people, and with just that, it can change lives.

We are fighting poverty with literacy; one latte at a time. Will you join us?

A Call for Help! - Building 28 Bilingual Libraries!

As many of you know, I somehow got myself into this silly project of bringing 28 bilingual libraries to Cameroon. All I wanted was some books for this tiny 4-room school by my house. How the project manifested into such scale, I haven't a clue.

Either way, here we are, trying to raise funds to pay for the shipping fee requires for a 40-foot container of books to come from the US (about 22,000 books), in collaboration with Books For Africa. I suppose it's been about a month that I've been sending out emails, bugging the crap out of you on Facebook and Twitter, yet we are barely at $1,000. How much do we need? $11,500. Riiiight.

$11,500 may seem like a lot of money at lump sum, but if you break it down, it only takes 2,300 people to donate $5 to reach the goal. You are telling me in this day in age with all the social networks, I can't find 2,300 people to give up their next $5 latte/beer/burger? I hope humanity is better than that.

That's not all. In phase II, we'll be needing roughly the same amount of money to get French books, in collaboration with Biblionef and l'AESCO. Yikes.

So anyway, I am desperate. I am calling for help. Literacy is something most of us take for granted. Yet here, most people can't read. Think about if you can' read - how your life would be different? We want to help Africans to help themselves. But if they can't read, how far can they go? I want to change the fact that most of the people I've met here has never seen a library in their entire life, and if they did, it's because they were privileged enough to go to a university.

Can you contribute some pocket change and help me make this project a reality? If you are a small business owner, this is a perfect tax write-off! Let's help Africans help themselves by giving them the resources. Tell your friends and neighbors!

To make a tax-deductible donation: Http://tiny.cc/booksforcameroon
To follow us on Facebook and look at adorable pictures, and read stories that's been published about the project: Http://tiny.cc/booksfc

Thank you all for your support!

Books For Cameroon Project Description

UPDATE [August 14, 2009]
Over the past few months, the project has grown! And here is a brief update.

• At the end of April/May, PCVs Kate Cook, Siobhan Perkins, Laura Hurley and myself had selected a total of 25 community and school libraries for this project.
• Mid-June, Mr. Fondugallah, a Cameroonian living in St. Paul, MN contacted me and we added the Limbé and Lewoh City Library.
  
• Mid-July, RELUFA resource library in Yaoundé was added to the project.
  
• Late-July, a community in Kognoli, Adamoua was added in collaboration with a RELUFA contact.
• Early August, final library is added to the project for the clan of Fondonera in the West Province.

Here is a complete list of participating libraries!

The project is now covering 30 school/community libraries. Library management training will take place in the early months of 2010. We are still raising money to fund the tranportation cost for Phase I. Phase II is underway in collaboration with Biblionef and l'AESCO. If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation to help us along, please click here.

[May 1, 2009]
In a nutshell...

• I am bringing 30 libraries to Cameroon.
• We need $11,500 in collaboration with Books For Africa.
• It takes 2,300 people to donate their next $5 latte/beer/burger to make it happen!
• Now, please help us: Http://www.booksforcameroon.org
• Donation is 100% Tax Deductible!

If you care enough, below is the rest of the blah blah blahs. Enjoy!

Budget

Timeline

École Catholique of Batié

The project began with my desire to fill a 4-room school near my house with some books and begin programs to help students discover the joy of reading and learning. After contacting several NGOs, Books For Africa replied and say they would supply a 40-foot container full of English books (approx. 22,000) if we can raise the shipping and custom fee of $10,000. Since it is an all-or-nothing deal, I sent out a few emails to fellow volunteers and expanded the project across three provinces and reaching 30 schools/community libraries.

Since most of the participating schools are in the Francophone region and Cameroon is a country striving for its bilingualism, we have split the project into two phases with this first phase focusing on the English books and the 2nd phase with French books. Volunteers participating in this project have sent out project applications to ensure each school is dedicated and meet the following criteria: supply in-country transport cost, supply a well-secured classroom complete with shelves, tables and chairs for a functioning library, and committed staff who will participate in library management training.

Lycée of BatiéCetic of Batié