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the Library could be open every day including Saturdays. Creating Masiphumelele Librarians Thando Melamane (in charge), Veronica Mashiyi, Pam Mpame, Thandi Award-winning Ndabeni and Nokwezi Tetana, along with volunteers provide a comprehensive HIV Aids library service to the community. The library offers free Internet ac- awareness cess, story-telling, holiday programmes, JUNE ALEXANDER computer literacy, film shows, reading  RAZAAN KHAN Librarian, Library programmes, nursery school visits, tutor- ing scholars especially matrics and visits to Preparations ews reached us that the local nursery schools. n Friday, 25 November 2005, Depart- at the end of 2005 N Workshops are run by ment of Cultural Affairs and Sport Masiphumelele Library won O the library and outside (DCAS) HIV/Aids committee embarked on a the award for the most people providing skills HIV/Aids Awareness campaign. Community community-involved public and training, for example, health workers and volunteers from communi- library in the . Khanya Khwezi Project. ties joined forces with DCAS staff to ensure a To the staff, Friends and all Staff are prepared to successful campaign. This event was aimed at other parties involved our go the extra mile and citizens from poor communities and two infor- warmest congratulations on I would like to com- mal settlements were visited, namely this wonderful achievement. mend them. In particular, and Sweet Home in Phillipi. It is indeed a very special Veronica Mashiyi, who Activities on this day included the distribu- award and we felt it prudent volunteered to open the tion of food and clothing parcels; the demon- to publish June Alexander’s activity room as a study stration of condom usage and encouraging nomination. area from 18:00 to 20:00 HIV status testing. DCAS staff and volunteers As is the case with all every night to provide a successfully distributed 20 000 condoms, 700 competitions, there can, alas, quiet place for the matrics clothing parcels and 125 loaves of bread that only be one winner, so to the to study. were used to make sandwiches. 2 000 HIV/ many other committed and As the community Aids information booklets and pamphlets were dedicated libraries and staff lacked a library facility, also distributed. Approximately 1 600 resi- - see you on the podium took dents were reached in terms of food, clothing next year. responsibility for ensuring and information on HIV/Aids. In 1994 an informal Top: Veronica Mashiyi and Thando Melamane from Masiphumelele at the success of the pro- The aim of this community awareness event library service was started the award cermony gramme. Masiphumelele was not only to increase awareness regarding when Jean Williams, former people were trained and HIV/Aids and sexually-transmitted infections librarian of Oceanview and Above: Pam Mpame (left) and Thando Melamane from jobs created for them at but also to encourage different departments now director of , Masiphumelele attended the Library the library where they and various components to work and care provided donated books to Week launch at Bridgetown Library have excelled. Children, together. the public from the boot where special mention was made of in particular, benefit of her car. Since then the their achievement from the library and service has just grown and various programmes moved to the school. In are attracting adults. Volunteers from 1996 a small library was established by Jean the Fish Hoek community also pass on Alexander and Sue Alexander (librarians at their skills to this community by teach- Fish Hoek Library) in a farmhouse owned by ing, reading and running workshops. the municipality. After the library burnt down, The library has a fenced green park money was eventually set aside to build a with benches and playground equip- new library. When council funds were with- ment where young and old can enjoy drawn, John and Carol Thompson, funders themselves - generously provided by from America, stepped in and took over the John and Carol Thompson. project with the assurance that the Fish Hoek I would therefore like to nominate Library would run and oversee the operation the Masiphumelele Library for the of the library. most community-involved public library, The library opened its doors in 2003. It supported by a great team. was initially run with books from local and overseas donors followed by the Provincial Right above: Voluntary workers handing Library allocation. The donors funded an out toys at Sweet Home in Phillippi dur- extension which was completed in 2004. ing the HIV/Aids Awareness campaign The library doubled in size with an activ- ity room upstairs. Additional funding was Right: Members of the the DCAS team secured from Levi Strauss to ensure that making sandwiches for the citizens from poor communities 2 0 0 6

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