The book box arrives at Sukwe Primary School
Since schools re-opened and we resumed our book box deliveries, we have been able to implement an expansion which had waited for more than a year. We are now serving 79 primary schools out of Gwanda district's 111. We reach 28,733 learners out of the total in the district of 37666. Our programme can be broken down as follows:
Original Rotating Book Boxes 27 rural schools 9507 Learners
4 urban schools 3869
Pioneer Book Boxes (2018) 10 rural schools 4379 Learners
Pioneer Book Box (added 2021) 33 rural schools 8155 Learners
Inspiring Readers (added 2021) 5 rural schools 2823 Learners
Totals 79 Schools 28733 Learners
The original book boxes rotate, being delivered to each participating school at the beginning of each schools term and then collected at the end to be re-stocked and returned. Teachers are involved in the book selection, and ENML supports them with workshops from time to time on teaching reading and integrating the use of library books into their lesson planning.
The Pioneer book boxes are permanently located within the schools. This programme has been funded by Book Aid International, and was conceived as a means to reach more schools even if we are unable to rotate and replenish on a regular basis. We also support the teachers in these schools and supply additional books whenever we are able.
Pioneer Boxes being prepared for dispatch
The Inspiring Readers is also a programme for a permanent book collection within the participating schools, and was described in a previous news item.
We are left with only 32 - about 1/4 of the primary schools in the district which we are not reaching with one of our programmes. Thanks to our donors and especially Book Aid International for enabling all these programmes which allow the vast majority of school children in Gwanda district to have access to books to read.
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