Inaugural Library for Velezizweni
Donation protected
Hello hopeful contributors,
Our aspiration is to create the very FIRST library at Velezizweni Primary School. We want this to be a welcoming place for the children of Velezizweni Primary School to read, learn and be creative in a space of their very own. To accomplish this goal we need your help!
What we are doing: WE ARE MAKING A LIBRARY!
We have 1,000 books on their way from the US from Books for Africa . The books will be arriving in May 2017, hopefully, to a finished library waiting for them. We have an old classroom in the school compound that we are using for the library space. It is a generous space about 12x 8 meters (Pictures below).
Community Contributions: This project began in March 2016 when we had our first meeting as a library committee at Velezizweni Primary School. The committee consists of 4 teachers at the Primary School & a Peace Corps volunteer that stays within the community. All of us are on the committee by choice and just want to see the children of the primary school succeed.
We cleaned out an old classroom full of useless things to make way for this library. The second probelm we are still tackling is the funding for the library. We devised a fundraising plan to fund the shelving for the library books. Since March we have been having talent shows, non-uniform clothes days & movie afternoons to raise money for the shelves. We charge the children E2 to enter into these activities. Small, but it can make a big impact over time.
Photo above: Students waiting to start a fundraising talent show!
Photo above: Children watching a movie that helped in fundraising!
We have also sent out forms to the school children's family’s to help in raising the money. Our goal was E8,000 for just specifically the shelves, but in a years’ time we have raised just over E3,000. This is equal to about 230 USD. We have along way to go to make this library a success, so this is where you come in :)
What we still need: Below is an itemized list of our needs and the cost in Swaziland; In swaziland the most common currency is rand or "R".
R1,000 -- Burglar bar door & installment
R500 -- Electricity hardware & installment
R1,000 – Re-plastering of walls
R4,000 -- Painting/ creative art, outside & inside of library
R1,500 -- Two floor rugs, eight large pillows for seating, two lamps
R500 -- Labeling reading levels on books, signage for book categories, educational posters, writing utensils
R1,000 -- Shelving for books *The rest will come from community fundraising*
R6,000 -- Three 2x2 meter large tables
R300 -- Cleaning products
R700 -- Transport of materials
R3,000 -- Repair budget (i.e; broken windows, cracked floor, roof repair)
TOTAL
=R19,500
=1,500 USD
*If you would like to convert any of the above items to USD, just times the number by 13, that is the current exchange rate from rand to USD.
Where is Velezizweni??: Velezizweni is a community within the country of Swaziland. In the Manzini region of the country we are in the "middle veld" where there are rolling hills and a lot of rain. Velezizweni primary school holds 315 students attending grades 1-7. Students can range in ages 5-18 years old.
Outside building for the library
Entrance
Inside the building
How will the Library be used?
Starting in May, 2017 when the library opens, the teachers have agreed to have a library period for each grade. This will consist of about an hour of library time per class per week. The library committee will stay in place to address issues and concerns along the way. One of the teachers is coined the "Librarian" each year and will determine hours of operation be responsible for the upkeep of the library. There are also plans to have "community library days" where community members are allowed to check-out books from the library at a R2 cost. This profit will go in the emergency repairs fund for the school.
Here is a short video of some of the children at the end of the school day at Velezizweni Primary School.
BONUS
*Anyone who donates will recieve a personized photo of these kiddos using the library you helped fund :)*
Thank you for your support, the children of Velezizweni will be forever greatful!
Our aspiration is to create the very FIRST library at Velezizweni Primary School. We want this to be a welcoming place for the children of Velezizweni Primary School to read, learn and be creative in a space of their very own. To accomplish this goal we need your help!
What we are doing: WE ARE MAKING A LIBRARY!
We have 1,000 books on their way from the US from Books for Africa . The books will be arriving in May 2017, hopefully, to a finished library waiting for them. We have an old classroom in the school compound that we are using for the library space. It is a generous space about 12x 8 meters (Pictures below).
Community Contributions: This project began in March 2016 when we had our first meeting as a library committee at Velezizweni Primary School. The committee consists of 4 teachers at the Primary School & a Peace Corps volunteer that stays within the community. All of us are on the committee by choice and just want to see the children of the primary school succeed.
We cleaned out an old classroom full of useless things to make way for this library. The second probelm we are still tackling is the funding for the library. We devised a fundraising plan to fund the shelving for the library books. Since March we have been having talent shows, non-uniform clothes days & movie afternoons to raise money for the shelves. We charge the children E2 to enter into these activities. Small, but it can make a big impact over time.
Photo above: Students waiting to start a fundraising talent show!Photo above: Children watching a movie that helped in fundraising!We have also sent out forms to the school children's family’s to help in raising the money. Our goal was E8,000 for just specifically the shelves, but in a years’ time we have raised just over E3,000. This is equal to about 230 USD. We have along way to go to make this library a success, so this is where you come in :)
What we still need: Below is an itemized list of our needs and the cost in Swaziland; In swaziland the most common currency is rand or "R".
R1,000 -- Burglar bar door & installment
R500 -- Electricity hardware & installment
R1,000 – Re-plastering of walls
R4,000 -- Painting/ creative art, outside & inside of library
R1,500 -- Two floor rugs, eight large pillows for seating, two lamps
R500 -- Labeling reading levels on books, signage for book categories, educational posters, writing utensils
R1,000 -- Shelving for books *The rest will come from community fundraising*
R6,000 -- Three 2x2 meter large tables
R300 -- Cleaning products
R700 -- Transport of materials
R3,000 -- Repair budget (i.e; broken windows, cracked floor, roof repair)
TOTAL
=R19,500
=1,500 USD
*If you would like to convert any of the above items to USD, just times the number by 13, that is the current exchange rate from rand to USD.
Where is Velezizweni??: Velezizweni is a community within the country of Swaziland. In the Manzini region of the country we are in the "middle veld" where there are rolling hills and a lot of rain. Velezizweni primary school holds 315 students attending grades 1-7. Students can range in ages 5-18 years old.
Outside building for the library
EntranceInside the building
How will the Library be used?
Starting in May, 2017 when the library opens, the teachers have agreed to have a library period for each grade. This will consist of about an hour of library time per class per week. The library committee will stay in place to address issues and concerns along the way. One of the teachers is coined the "Librarian" each year and will determine hours of operation be responsible for the upkeep of the library. There are also plans to have "community library days" where community members are allowed to check-out books from the library at a R2 cost. This profit will go in the emergency repairs fund for the school.
Here is a short video of some of the children at the end of the school day at Velezizweni Primary School.
BONUS
*Anyone who donates will recieve a personized photo of these kiddos using the library you helped fund :)*
Thank you for your support, the children of Velezizweni will be forever greatful!
Organizer
Kim Young
Organizer
Plainfield, MI
