BOOKS FOR NAMIBIA

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Welcome to Promote Africa
My Experience & Inspiration
All across the continent of Africa, children are desperate and hungry to acquire knowledge and explore new ideas, a luxury many privileged inhabitants across the world take for granted. As a US Peace Corps Volunteer teaching in Namibia, I am confronted with a lack of educational resources and the consequences it presents daily in the classroom and in the development of a child and country. This lack of access to raw knowledge and an outlet to develop critical thinking skills handicaps the students' and teachers' intellectual and future pursuits.

In my village of Otavi there are two schools in desperate need of updating their libraries. My school, Khorab Junior Secondary School, has approximately 1000 students from grades 1-12. We have a small library with a combination of Afrikaans, German, and English books. Currently, we have approximately 200 texts in English, of which the material is often not compatible with the students' interests or abilities. Shalom, the other primary school in Otavi, has approximately 750 students grades 1-5 and only 100 English books total. There is also a critical absence of resources such as dictionaries and thesauruses, not to mention the almost non-existent access to encyclopedias, maps, educational games, educational posters, and basic school supplies for teachers or students.

This year, we are looking for motivated individuals, students, teachers, librarians, parents, schools and organizations that are willing to donate used or new books (and potentially other educational resources) to be shipped for use in Otavi, Namibia. The kids are hungry for knowledge. I have 15 story books I bring to school that the 250 upper primary students fight over daily! Any efforts to make this project a reality will be greatly appreciated by the students, teachers, community members, and myself. We will follow up with stories and photos to all of our donors to show just how much of a difference they have made in the lives of these children. Next year, we plan to expand our services and relationship with the Ministry of Education so that we can offer educational supplies to other schools across the country.

In addition, this endeavor is a beneficial cultural exchange for both students abroad and in Namibia. Students gain the opportunity to see the impact of their generosity change the lives of students just like themselves. Through this experience I hope that those involved will learn more about the world that they are living in and the vast differences and striking similarities that unite us all.

Thank you for your time and consideration in supporting this project, and we hope to hear from you soon.

Yours in Education,

April Pinner
US Peace Corps Volunteer, Namibia
Director, Books for Namibia
ampinner@hotmail.com
(205) 588 5605

 

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