Maktaba Mashinani wants to launch mobile libraries across Kenya, and the startup needs your help.
Maktaba Mashinani, Swahili and slang for rural libraries, is starting with a library launch and donation event in Iltolish Mara, Trans Mara, Narok County tofay, 18th October 2019 to bring on board various stakeholders to provide reading materials for schools and students in the region.
This event aims to launch one community library that can sit 150 people at once and donate books to 12 schools each with an average of 400 students. This means that more than 4,500 students will be able to have most or all syllabus books they need.
Maktaba Mashinani Foundation is partnering with organizations like Moran Publishers EA, SixtyOne Photography, KINI mara Foundation, DesignCon group, Gold Avenue, This Guy Muto and the County government of Narok among others to make this happen.
Apart from the books, Maktaba Mashinani will be running educational, motivational and mentorship programs in this locality to challenge issues faced by pupils/students in this area e.g early pregnancies, FGM and early pregnancies which force underage girls out of schools. We also have programs for the teachers and parents on how to handle such.
It will be a great event where the county government, corporates and non-governmental organizations come together for the benefit of the community. This is not the first time Maktaba Mashinani is donating books to needy schools, we have donated books to over 35 schools in 5 other different counties and over 50 ECDs. This has brought the books share ration from 1:9 to 1:1.
Maktaba Mashinani Foundation has given books donation to schools in desperate circumstances in Kisumu, Migori, Kisii, Nairobi and Nyandarua County previously. Maktaba Mashinani foundation continues to be among interested parties on having quality education, gender equality in accessing reading and learning materials, No poverty and decent work and economic growth among other SDGs.
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The Narok County Governor, Samuel Kuntai Ole Tunai will be the chief guest and this will mark a new partnership with his office to do more similar projects in the county with time. The event will also be attended by representatives from the national governments, local investors and representatives from our partnering organizations.
Maktaba Mashinani encourages the creating of a reading culture across the country which can be done from people on all walks of life. The community and the government need to understand that libraries are not a luxury but a necessity. Reading can liberate the bonded on minds and give freedom beyond monetary handouts.
Maktaba Mashinani is also working on building a modern library in Mugathika, in Nyandarua county, a project that covers three acres of land. This project will benefit more than 12 primary schools who can walk to that facility for their library lessons and 9 high schools. The free to access project have laid a good will partnership with the county government, National education office and the TSC office in the area to see that relevant books and content are shared with the public.
Maktaba Mashinani intends to build and run modern libraries in Kenya starting with the neediest rural communities. We have already started rolling out ICT literacy that will help teachers and students get exposure to computer literacy and virtual reading.
With more partnerships, Maktaba Mashinani will be able to implement such projects. One can partner with Maktaba Mashinani in cash or Kind. Organizations can partner by giving what they have e.g books and constructions materials et cetera.
