December 2020 - The Tumaini Library Book Drive is Underway!

Returning to school after months away meant our students had to adjust to lots of changes. Although the government pushed national exam dates back, leaving less than four months for schools to prepare. Throughout this intensive period, the Tumaini libraries have served as a space of respite and escape for students.

For our secondary school students, the reopening of school required an extension of the daily schedule and extensive exam preparations. The library, still new to most students as it only opened last year, provided programming unrelated to the government-mandated curriculum. Acutely aware of the pressure students were feeling, TEC librarian, Eliza Allison, first had the students give the library a makeover. 

Complete with painted murals, quotes and rearranging the furniture, the students collaboratively made the space their own. A space away from the test prep, family hardships and societal pressure. The experience of distance learning made all too real the hardships of unemployment as many students went home to families directly affected by the collapse of the tourism industry.  

Aside from contributing to the library’s interior design, the secondary school students typically spend free time in the library unwinding from their biweekly exam schedule. As a hub for creativity, students can explore and develop their artistic skills in a safe place and share their interests with their peers. 

Painting, drawing, music and poetry are a few of the interests that have peaked in the library. More generally, students are eager to dive into books learning about their hobbies and interests, exposing them to extensive literature on something they have not had the opportunity to interact with.

A significant number of students at the secondary school come from outside the district, having never interacted with a leisure library. Seeing books from African authors, books on computer science and graphic novels is unheard of. The experience at the primary school is quite similar, though the library is much older. Young learners transitioning from preschool or entering school for the first time, unlock a whole new world. Many of them are also interacting in English and living at school for the first time as well. The library is an informal space to practice with easy readers and build confidence among peers. Our librarians ensure that the library is unconventional and nonrestrictive for this reason. 

Tanzania is not a country with many leisure libraries, and one would be hard pressed to find books. Books are awfully expensive and difficult to access, particularly in rural regions. Many of the books in Tumaini libraries have come through donations; passed on from families, donors or our Amazon Wishlist. Through your consistent generosity, we have been able to grow and expand our libraries. However, we are still very much in need. Most of our donations come to Tanzania with our school visitors and employees. The pandemic rendered that impossible this year.

Our secondary school library is still in its early stages of growth with many shelves needing books. Physics, chemistry, biology and computer science are focal subjects at our school, but the literature outside the classroom is lacking. Similarly, books written by African authors and focused on the continent are of large interest to students. Most of our readers fall in love with reading by starting with a series. Book series like Alex Rider, 39 Clues, and Nancy Drew attract students as they follow the stories across books eager to escape, resulting in the discovery of new vocabulary, countries and human experiences. Help us further their journey.