Top 8 Ways to help Africa Reads promote literacy:
  1. Donate gently used books and school supplies
  2. Organize a "book and a buck" drive in your community
  3. Ship a box of 100 books to Arua
  4. Sponsor a bicycle librarian - $200/month
  5. Purchase a bicycle - $200/bike
  6. Send a child to school after UPE - $15/month
  7. Sponsor a backpack containing writing materials and a book, which will be given to children in the village - $10
  8. Send a book and message to a child by purchasing a name plate - $1.00
About Us Our Story Lend a Hand Africa Day Press Partnerships Contact Us
 
 

Why You Should Help

In 1997, in an attempt to educate its population of approximately 27.3 million people, the Ugandan government instituted Universal Primary Education (UPE), which is free elementary school education. Prior to this act, attendance in school was spotty at best. In 1996 statistics show there were 2.7 million children who attended school. That number swelled to nearly 7 million in 2002. With more than half the population of Uganda under age 14, it is imperative children receive as much formal education as possible.

Establishing Universal Primary Education is an ambitious first step, but it is still not enough. Teachers in Uganda often face classrooms with 200 students of varying ages and skill levels, all wanting to learn. They have few, if any, resources and frequently lack classrooms, desks, textbooks and supplies. As a result, children may physically be in school, but even the brightest have difficulty learning under these conditions.

Children in Uganda rarely know the alphabet or how to count when they begin school at age six. Therefore, by the time they reach sixth grade, they are only reading and comprehending at a third or fourth grade level. With a per capita income of $1,500, few parents can afford to enroll their children in school, which typically costs $5-$15 per child per year after the sixth grade. Instead, most children become elementary school dropouts. Boys are taught a trade by their families, and the girls are soon betrothed to older men. In an attempt to serve as many students as possible, all are promoted at the end of the year regardless of whether or not they are capable of entering the next grade.

Africa Reads is reaching out to the schools and teachers of the Arua District, by supplying the schools with books and other literacy materials, in an effort to support the country?s plan for Universal Primary Education.

Our Needs

Arua District Educational Center (Library)
Land has been donated in Arua to build a permanent structure to house the books and conduct adult education classes. Africa Reads is seeking educational and financial partners to expand its efforts and begin construction on the library in 2007. Building costs are estimated at $80,000. In addition, we have a wish-list that includes: Desks, Tables, Shelves, Generator, Computers, Printers, Writing Tools, Office Materials, Photocopier, Lights, Chairs, and Waste Baskets.

Donate

Our online donation system will be available soon!