Another PCV Story

An addition to the previous post. This one is from PCV Haley White, who joined this project last month.

Community Volunteer Initiative for Development (COVOID)

COVOID is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Rubirizi (formerly Bushenyi) District of south-western Uganda. Uganda is the “pearl of Africa”, then this specific region, called Bunyaruguru, is a paradise within a paradise. Bunyaruguru is often overlooked by government projects and civil society organizations because everyone knows the area is rich in fertile soils, diverse foods, natural water sources, plentiful rainfall, and Queen Elizabeth National Park. What other people overlook, however, is that the economic culture of intensive agriculture and fishing contributes to a high rate of large families, forced school-leaving and child labor. Faced with the option of earning immediate, though meager, income by working in the fields and lakes, many short-sighted students lose interest in school and remove themselves in search of an easy shilling
(or 0.00043 pennies).

As one of very few NGOs serving the region, COVOID opened the Bunyaruguru Community Library in September 2007 with a starter collection from the National Library of Uganda. Presently the books are few and include many repetitious copies of high school math and
science textbooks. While valuable and in use, these books don’t really scream the messages of “books for all ages!”, “explore new worlds with your kids!” or “reading can be FUN!” Unless you have a very special perspective on the world, there was nothing very FUN about 10th grade trigonometry. While we do boast a few rather mind-blowing Sesame Street toddler puzzles that challenge kids, adults, and Peace Corps Volunteers alike, the so-called “children’s section” of our library is lacking substance.

This new donation of nearly 500 school age-appropriate books, primarily for leisure reading and English skills, will help COVOID to fulfil its goal of creating community access to the wide world of reading from a young age. Through National Book Week 2010, COVOID strengthened partnerships with local nursery, primary and secondary schools, all of which will be able to borrow books for the students to read and take home to share with their families. It is a source of pride for a parent to be able to witness her or his child learn to read, or enjoy a book even just for the pictures—to see the child achieve levels of education that may never have been available to them. These parents might just support their children through higher

levels of schooling. I can safely say that I learned more from “Snuggle Piggy and the Magic Blanket” than “Algebra II”, or maybe the memories are just more pleasant. But I hope that these kids can experience the same kind of joy that I always experience upon turning the pages of a new book. COVOID and I are very grateful for this opportunity to expand young minds in Bunyaruguru.