In my first months of service here, I went with a social worker to deliver mopako, or food baskets, to a nearby rural village. Instead of having a pen for people to sign their names, they had an ink pad for fingerprints. Not for extra security, but rather because the overwhelming majority of community members were illiterate.
Imagine being 50 years old and not knowing how to read. Not knowing how to hold a pen. Not knowing how to even spell your own name.
Now imagine that you could do something to prevent that, and here is your opportunity. An inspirational woman named Pam moved to Botswana in 1997 for one reason: to address illiteracy and health issues through donating books to schools and libraries throughout Botswana.
As a Peace Corps Volunteer, I will be on the list to access thousands of books on the very first day. That means come June, my junior secondary school and preschool will have hundreds of new books.
This whole project hinges on one condition: the generosity of Americans. Most urgently, donations are needed (no matter how small) in order to pay for the shipment of 25,000 books from Atlanta to Botswana. Last year, small private donations of around $10 resulted in $6,000 - or half of what is needed to ship. Currently, the Project is in need of $5,000.
Attention All Teachers: A book drive could be a great project to do school-wide. If interested, please email me and we can brainstorm ideas - teaching the students the importance of reading and education, about a new culture, generosity, the Peace Corps, etc. Upon my return to the states, I would gladly come thank your school personally.
For more information and guidelines, check out my "Get Involved" tab or the main website of the project.
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