Putting books in shelves is half of the problem

It is easy to take for granted, that you can read tweets or post a status on Facebook, because it feels like you were born that way. To take for granted that you can choose to write down your 2018 resolutions, or not because those things are soon forgotten by March, and are overrated anyway.
You have to specifically set out to recognise your privilege to know that this is not ‘ordinary’; that there are people your age in the same country, who cannot read or write. This may be as a result of not going to school, dropping out of school, child marriages, teen marriages; unfortunately the list of possible reasons is longer than it should be.
Sometimes you are ‘lucky’ enough to identify issues like illiteracy that plague your society, but this might be followed by a ‘what can I do about it?’ feeling, leaving you helpless.
According to Unesco, at least 750 million youth and adults still cannot read and write, and 250 million children are failing to acquire basic literacy skills globally.
On January 8, Daily Monitor wrote a story about the ‘Maama Watali Public Library’ in Luweero that is closing because it has remained idle since 2010. For more than seven years, no one has gone to the library to read the books. The management of the library stopped donors from sending more books because the beneficiaries were not using the current supply. If this shows us anything, it is that putting books in shelves will not solve the illiteracy problem in Uganda.
In our efforts to tackle illiteracy, we must put into account the sustainability aspect. How do we ensure that the members of a community continue using a resource like a library, and all the opportunities it creates?
At 40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation (4040), literacy for children in vulnerable communities is one of our core goals. Our dream is to set up 10 children’s learning centres, reaching more than 20,000 children in five years. As a build up to the learning centres, we are running a school programme, the Angaza School Programme. Here, volunteers work with children on Friday afternoons during their school term to improve their reading, writing and expression skills. We understand that the children often read books specifically to sit for tests or exams. As a result, our programme encourages reading for fun.
Additionally, we include activities such as spelling bees, debates and drama. These activities are not only fun, but ensure that children are learning in the process. They spice up the reading and writing exercises leaving the children asking for more. We are introducing Saturday classes to reach out to out of school children as well. All these interventions will prepare the children to use the centres when they are put in place.
With tools like this, we can make progress towards curbing illiteracy and the associated poor reading culture. One of the causes that are attributed to a poor reading culture is the inability of the reader to relate to the content. It is this insight that led to the 4040 Book Project, under which we published four books, written by Ugandans for Ugandan children.
During the festive season, we raised money for 600 of these books to be donated to four high needy primary schools across the country. We have developed book guides to be handed over along with the books. Along with the guides, we shall train the teachers to improve the reading and learning experience. By introducing them to the process from introduction of the book all the way to independent reading, we believe that they will improve the reading experience for their pupils. It is from these discussions that reading spaces can be developed to further the reading culture in different schools.
Additionally, we will maintain collaboration to ensure the books are well utilised.
Unesco views acquiring and improving literacy skills throughout life as an intrinsic part of the right to education. The multiplier effect of literacy empowers people, enables them to participate fully in society and contributes to improve livelihoods.
It is up to us. It is up to us to make another library doesn’t get shut down; because it is our children, who will pay the price.

Ms Gahwera is a member of the communications team at 40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation