Change Lives

BookMark Your Aid International Newsletter

Autumn 2020 Let's keep in touch Stay up to date with how the books you help to send are You are helping children changing lives: get back to learning @Book_Aid facebook.com/bookaid Subscribe to email updates: bookaid.org/stay-in-touch

In June, we wrote to you and asked for your support to send books to help children get back to learning in some of the most isolated and marginalised communities across Africa.

You generously donated enough to provide over 20,000 brand new books to these schools.

Since our warehouse reopened in June, we have sent 181,7223 books to help some of the most vulnerable children get back to learning after Covid-19 prevented them from attending school or visiting .

Without you, we would not be able to send a single book. Thank you so much for your continued support.

In this issue Page Books on their way to Zimbabwe 4–5

A place to read during lockdown in Nairobi 6–7

Books helping children affected by conflict 8–9 and Covid-19 in Cameroon

The books you help to send 10

News and updates 11

Help us write the next 12

Book Aid International is a charity registered in England and Wales. Charity no: 313869. Company no: 880754. Cover image: Pascalia Where The Wild Things Are outside her home in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. Registered Office: 39-41, Coldharbour Lane, London SE5 9NR. Left: Reading a book you’ve helped to send in an empty school in Kenya. Even now during Covid, people still ask if they can get Books on their way books; the children, the teachers, the A shipment carrying 37,741 brand new books left our warehouse at the librarians. end of June and is on its way to Zimbabwe. We asked Yeukai – a university librarian and Chair of our partner the Harare Distribution Committee – how the books would help support children as they return to learning.

Most of our schools, if you see How has Covid-19 books there, they are from Book Aid changed life in International. Even now [with schools Zimbabwe? and libraries closed] they still want to Yeukai use books.

Covid-19 started in Zimbabwe in How will the new books help March with the death of a prominent children get back to learning? person and that scared us. So When they go back to school, immediately the schools and the everybody will be eager to learn and universities were closed. Public to catch up. Books will definitely help, libraries, schools and teacher training especially in the rural areas where colleges are still closed. Universities they have nothing. In most of our rural are open only for final year students. areas books are the only source of Most of the shops are closed. And information. Because there are no we cannot move from one city computers, there is no internet. Books to another – there is no intercity are the things they will be looking transport so that is a major challenge. forward to. The books you help to send fill libraries in schools and communities across Zimbabwe We can never have enough books. How are the restrictions Everyone depends on print and we affecting children’s education do really appreciate your donations in particular? in Zimbabwe. Even now during We are a poor country so schools Covid, people still ask if they can get cannot do online teaching. The books; the children, the teachers, the government has introduced radio librarians. That is how important lessons for the primary schools. they are to us. All children can access them but they are for a limited time. Very few families have books at home.

Thank you for helping to send this shipment of books to Zimbabwe. 4 Many children rely on their schools and Books will help children catch up when All images taken pre Covid-19. 5 local libraries for books to read schools reopen A place to read during Catherine Being able to access books and lockdown read while my school is closed has been really helpful. This will help me to improve my grades because I am The Dandora slum in Nairobi, Kenya, sits on the edge able to cover a lot in my study areas. Reading and studying at DADREG of one of the world’s largest landfill sites. will surely be fruitful when I get back Local NGO DADREG (Dandora Dumpsite Rehabilitation Group), which to school. Here I am also able to operates a centre in Dandora, has opened its doors during lockdown attend some online lessons which is to provide children with a safe place to read and learn using the books not really possible at home. supporters like you help to send. I’ve also been reading a storybook Here, George Onyango, DADREG’s Director and Catherine, a student who called Once Upon a Twist. It is a regularly uses the centre, tell us more: great way to relax my mind after a long day of endless studying. The George Onyango book has also challenged me to improve my creativity. The closure of schools and colleges has come with challenges for young girls and boys, especially those living in slums. Their homes are I really appreciate the books that often not conducive for studying. This is the reason why we have opened Book Aid International has sent Catherine, a student who regularly up our centre. uses the centre to us students. DADREG is providing a refuge to the these children. We are of course practicing social distancing. The young men and women that DADREG has supported [and continue to support] in colleges and universities come to the centre to teach the children. These young men and women are acting as mentors to the primary and secondary school students and it is really helping them. 12 year old Teresia worked on the landfill The access to books at DADREG Centre site looking for items to sell for recycling is helping young students to be until DADREG gave her the opportunity to attend school supported with their homework. The donations you provide will help so many children access reading materials.

6 7 I was so happy because I could Books bringing hope read again. to children affected by conflict and Covid-19

In Cameroon, children's educations have been affected by the ongoing conflict. But local NGOs are determined not to let the pandemic impact their learning further – by making our Pioneer Book Boxes safely available for children to enjoy.

Here, ten-year-old Fortune* tells us how the books are bringing her hope.

When we were running away have helped me a lot. I have not from the war, we spent months in gone to school since I left my home the forest. Many people did. We and am praying for schools to start could not go to school, church or again in October. hospital. We lived in fear, hunger and pain. My favourite subject is English Language and my favourite book is But one day, pastors came to give Phonics and English Grammar. I am food and clothes to people in so happy with the books. the forest and they took us to the Studying using the books you help to send Catholic Church in Kumba. Then, When I grow up, I will be a journalist when fighting settled down, a so that I will be able to report things family gave us a room in their house that are happening in our towns, to stay in. villages and our whole world so that people can be helped to live in In October last year they brought peace and unity. the Pioneer Book Box to the Catholic Mission. I was so happy Thank you so much for the books, because I could read again. they have given us hope.

At the Church Hall and in our house, I learn English, Maths, French, Geography and more with books Pupils reading books from the Pioneer The Pioneer Book Box is a sturdy, lockable from the Pioneer Book Box. They * Name has been changed. 8 Book Box in Kenya. (Children in Cameroon box with wheels, containing up to 200 brand 9 not pictured for safety reasons.) new beautiful children’s books The books you News and updates help to send Delivering online training for librarians in Africa In addition to book provision, we also train librarians and teachers in Africa on topics such as the importance of reading, library management and reading The Health Choices Book activities. As lockdown has prevented our training workshops from going The Health Choices Book has been ahead, we’ve been supporting our partners remotely. We have created digital created by a network of health resources and delivered the training through online platforms, mentoring a professionals. This book will be useful cadre of trainers who can share their skills in their communities. for our partners working with children, especially those in rural communities where misinformation about health Books Change Lives Q&A online event series and medicine can be common. During lockdown, we’ve been running our Books Change Lives events online

Author, journalist and BBC Newsnight presenter Earth Emily Maitlis was our first guest speaker. Emily Part of DK’s brilliant Findout! series for discussed her bestselling book Airhead: The Imperfect inquisitive young minds, Earth is packed Art of Making News and provided a candid insight into with fascinating geography facts. This her lockdown reads. engaging book would inspire any young geographer. It is appealing books like this that will be especially important in Our second interviewee was Sir Michael Palin, CBE helping children get back to learning who revealed his all time favourite books and captivated when Covid-19 restrictions are lifted and the audience with extraordinary tales from his travels. ©John Swannell ©John schools and libraries reopen. If you missed either of these events, you can watch the full interviews at www.bookaid.org/support-us/events Graphic Lives: Hari Hari is part of the Graphic Lives series which addresses some of the challenges young people may face including anxiety, Join our Reverse Book Club online eating disorders and self-harm. Taking the form of a graphic , each story Our monthly regular giving club, the Reverse follows a different character on their Book Club, is now available for you to join journey to overcome their difficulties online! You can sign up on our website to help with the help of friends, family and the send brand new books around the world each school counsellor. month to those who need them most. Visit: www.bookaid.org/reversebookclub 10 11 Help us write the next chapter

I am getting on well with my Out Island Library which is now quite substantial... It is so important that I make a success of this. It’s the most important thing I am doing.

Diary entry dated 25th April 1954, Lady Ranfurly, founder of Book Aid International. Taken from her book ‘Hermione’.

Lady Ranfurly founded the charity that would become Book Aid International in 1954. Over 60 years later, we are still continuing the work she began. By remembering Book Aid International in your Will you can help countless children and adults access the books they need to write the next chapter in their own lives.

To find out more about leaving a gift in your Will please: Email: [email protected] Call: +44 (0) 20 7326 5802 Visit: www.bookaid.org/donate/ leave-a-gift-in-your-will/

Lady Ranfurly packing books