Role of literacy hubs

Two years ago, I noticed that children in my community longed to read, yet many lacked access to books and struggled with basic reading skills. I am grateful to Zaharah Namanda and Paul Sutherland, who made the very first donation of storybooks to the children. That act marked the beginning of our journey to spread the love of reading across schools in our area.

Today, not only do children enjoy reading, but they also have access to a number of books through our community literacy hub.

At the time of writing, schools remain closed due to ongoing teachers’ demonstrations. Parents are deeply frustrated, feeling that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their children’s education was already enough to bear.

In the midst of this, our literacy hub has become the only center supporting children in rural Busia to continue learning. Watching children walk long distances just to access reading books is a powerful reminder of the love for reading they have developed over time. They arrive on time for read-aloud sessions, actively participate in book discussions, and show genuine curiosity in learning new words(individual readers)

This underscores the vital role that access to books plays in shaping the minds and futures of children growing up in rural communities