About Us
About Libraries For Kids:
We are a non-profit corporation approved by the United States IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization that receives donations of books and money.
Libraries For Kids is also a registered charity in South Carolina, USA.
Libraries For Kids is focused on providing leisure and reference books to schools in rural Kenya for
recreational and supplemental reading.
We work exclusively with rural schools with little or no electricity or internet access
located in communities that face major challenges everyday some of which include but
are not limited to: environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions among others.
Background:
In many regions, communities have changed their way of life to allow their children
to get an education. Generally, children must walk 4 to 6 kilometers to get to school. In o
thers, the parents establish boarding facilities so that the students do not have to be
exposed to predators when walking to school. The Kenyan government pays for
teachers salaries and gives the rural schools $5.50 per student per year to pay for books,
teaching supplies, support staff (cooks, security), and building maintenance. As a result,
books when available have to last for 10 years or more. It is common for 20 to 30 students
having to share one textbook (English, math, science, Swahili, etc.)
The Kenyan government does not build school buildings. If you want a school building,
you construct it yourself or raise the money to have it built.
Study conditions in most rural schools:
These rural schools do not have a library, but they would love to have one. Libraries for Kids seeks to meet this need.
Mission: Libraries for Kids establishes reference libraries in African rural schools to expand educational opportunities for their students.
Vision:
Short Term: Create libraries in all ~20,000 rural schools in Kenya impacting about 1.5
million children.
Medium Term: Expand into other East African Countries: Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania.
Long Term: Expand to a world-wide operation wherever there are rural schools with
little or no electricity or internet access.
Our Beliefs:
All children should have the opportunity to better themselves through education. Therefore, we dedicate ourselves to improving educational opportunities.
Children are children regardless of race, nationality, religion, sex, ethnic background, or any other delineation. Therefore, we pledge to help all children.
We exist to help improve educational opportunities for children. Therefore, we will not discriminate against any child for any reason.
Discrimination of any kind or on any basis is immoral and unacceptable. Therefore, we will not discriminate against any individual, employee, volunteer, or anyone else for any reason.
Helping people help themselves is our goal. Education is the best vehicle to help people help themselves.
