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Chalula Library Project |
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December 2007 |
Hello friends and supporters of The Chalula Library Project. Our recent trip to Tanzania was intense and fruitful. Bruce and I left New York on a Saturday morning and landed in Dar Es Salaam, via Dubai, on Sunday late afternoon. Walter Bgoya, a Tanzanian publisher we’d ordered books from, was supposed to meet us @ the hotel but didn't show. We’d learn later that his malaria had come back and he was quite ill. Next morning we took a 7 hour bus trip (semi-deluxe, meaning some of the windows opened) to Dodoma where Joseph Biseko (our coordinator) and Henry Lyandala, headmaster of Chalula Primary School met us at the bus station. We spent 2 nights in Dodoma, at the New Dodoma Hotel. While there we visited the Regional Library and met with the head librarian who volunteered to visit Chalula and to help train our librarian, once we found one. Our library committee informed us that 84,000 Tanzanian shillings(about $75) was the minimum monthly wage for a librarian, and we agreed to fund that position for the next two years, after which the community would pay the salary themselves. We interviewed one applicant but didn’t feel he was qualified, so the search continued. We began to worry that we wouldn’t find someone in the few days we had left and made plans to put up notices at local agencies and the secretarial school, but we weren’t optimistic. The candidate we’d rejected had been our best prospect. The hardest part would be finding someone to move to the tiny village where the library is. In the meantime, we shopped for solar panels and purchased a system which will be installed in the next two weeks. Solar panels will enable the students from the secondary school, a few miles away, to also use the library, so everyone in the community was very excited about this development. The next day we rented a truck and driver and loaded up the books which had arrived from Walter's company, Mkuki Na Nyota, and from Fountain, a Ugandan publishing house. Then we drove about an hour and a half over an unpaved road to Mvumi Village. We spent that night with Father John Naumann, an Anglican priest from Australia who has founded Amani Farm, fairly close to Chalula Primary School. The following day, we visited Chalula. When we saw the finished building with it's new coat of paint and louvered windows (with screens) we were bowled over. It was like a mirage. Inside were the tables and bookshelves we had approved. We couldn't wait to start putting books on the shelves, and the students and parents all helped, carrying books that some of you donated! Then we met with the library committee - teachers, council members, local government officials, and the headmistress of the secondary school. We were very impressed by the quality of our committee and by the seriousness of purpose which they displayed. One of the committee members Aaron Chomola, a 63 year old council member with a passing resemblance to Sidney Poitier, took Bruce aside and asked to be considered for the librarian position. Aaron spent two years in the US working for Outward Bound in Colorado. He was a park official at Kilimanjaro and he speaks and writes English beautifully. We were delighted. We told him the committee would have to vote but we would recommend him for the job. He has wonderful presence, loves to read and has been looking for something worthwhile to do in the community. The next day was the big ceremony, organized by my favorite teacher, Mr. Mando, with about 300 students dancing and singing, including a special song for Mama Rosemary. As another surprise for us, they unveiled a plaque acknowledging us and the “parents and friends in the US and FAVL.” After that, we shared a festive lunch and held a brief meeting. the committee voting unanimously to hire Aaron saying the appointment was "just perfect." It could not have been a more auspicious beginning. We are happy and proud to have been a part of this project, and all of you who have been kind enough to support us should feel that way too. Happy holidays! Rosemary and Bruce |
October 2007 |
We're gearing up for our second trip to Tanzania this year. Planning, fundraising and putting up a building in less than a year is nothing short of miraculous and our friends in Myumi are to be congratulated for all of their hard work. Headmaster Henry Lyandala, Project coordinator Joseph Biseko, and our master mason Winston have kept everything right on schedule. We are now in the process of putting together the book collection and with the help of Professor Parry and a few Tanzanian publishers, we hope to have books for the dedication ceremony in November. Kwaheri! |
July 2007 |
Bruce and I are back from our trip to Tanzania, and we're happy to report that the building of The Chalula Primary School Library is right on schedule! After flying from NYC to Dubai, Dubai to Dar es Salaam, and then taking a 7 hour bus ride to Dodoma, we were met at the Scandinavia bus stop by our friends Joseph Biseko, and Henry Lyandalah, headmaster of The Chalula Primary School for the 90 minute drive to Mvumi.In Mvumi, we stayed at the Amani Mission, thanks to the generosity of the Reverend John Naumann. Winston, our master mason, had already gotten a terrific headstart on the foundation, and Henry and Joseph had ordered most of the cement that we'd need for the project. While there we met with Member of Parliament, Dr John Malecela, and numerous representatives from the regional department of education. We also researched solar panels, which will enable the library to stay open extended hours for the students and members of the community who want to use the library in the evening in this part of the village where there is no electricity. In a few days we were able to see walls going up. Check out our newest pictures, and come back frequently to see the library's progress. Thanks for your continued interest and support, Rosemary and Bruce |
June 2007 |
Bruce and I leave for Tanzania on June 5th, but the villagers of Mvumi have already started digging the foundation for the Chalula Primary School Library! All of the parents (and grandparents) of the students are happy to pitch in and get the work done - hopefully before the start of school in September. We'll keep you posted. Check back later in the month for more pix and updates on this exciting project. Ro FAVL-Chalula Library, PO Box 90533, San Jose, CA 95109 |
May 2007 |
I'm happy to report that our May 3 fundraising cocktail party was a resounding success! Over 100 friends jammed Gilbert and Betsy Perlman's apartment to eat, drink, listen to music, and to learn more about The Chalula Primary School. We leave on June 5 for Dar es Salaam, then it's a 12 1/2 hour bus ride and drive to Mvumi to meet with our Tanzanian friends and break ground. Please check back soon for pictures of this exciting project, and feel free to email with any questions about The Chalula Project and how you might get involved. Asante sana! Rosemary and Bruce FAVL-Chalula Library, PO Box 90533, San Jose, CA 95109 |
 Some great kids from New Jersey raising funds for Chalula!
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April 2007 |
The Chalula Library Project is moving full steam ahead. We now have building plans approved by the Tanzanian Department of Education, a realistic budget, a US fundraising committee, and a Tanzanian building committee. And I'm thrilled to report that plans are in the works for our very first fundraising event, a cocktail party on May 3 hosted by our good friends Gilbert and Betsy Perlman. Hopefully some of our other Tanzanian pals will be there to share pictures, videos, and experiences. Check back for more progress reports, and as always, I hope you'll consider supporting The Chalula Library Project Thank you! |
January 2007 |
In January 2006 while on a Habit for Humanity build, I had the good fortune to visit Chalula Primary School in Mvumi, Tanzania. A hand-painted sign read Karibu – Welcome in Swahili. Further inside the school grounds another crudely painted sign read – If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. Then we saw the children. Over 900 dressed in their school uniforms in the blazing sun waiting to welcome us with songs, dances, and ceremonial tree plantings. It was an experience that will stay with us the rest of our lives. Most of the 923 students at Chalula Primary School speak three languages – Kigogo, their local language, Kiswahili (Swahili), and when they’re a little older, English. And they learn with only 18 teachers, no computers, no electricity, and astonishingly enough, few books, because they have no library. Through the generous support of Professor Kate Parry, Kitengesa Community Library, and Professor Michael Kevane, founder of Friends of African Villages Libraries, we are working to change that. I urge you to visit their web sites to learn more about their exciting and important work. Information and progress reports on the Chalula Library Project can be found on this website. I hope you’ll consider supporting the students of Chalula and residents of Mvumi by making a tax-deductible contribution to: FAVL-Chalula Library, PO Box 90533, San Jose, CA 95109 |
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© 2006-2008
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