Book Aid International has worked in Zambia since the 1960s. Zambia, like all the countries in which we work, faces severe shortages of relevant and up-to-date books in all subject areas.
 |
 |
|
FAWEZa Mobile Library |
Currently most of our support in Zambia is through a mobile-libraries-for-schools project, run by the Forum for African Women Educationalists, Zambia (FAWEZa). FAWEZa advocates for policies and programmes that promote gender equity at all levels of the education system in Zambia.
The mobile library project was devised to meet the need for reading and reference materials in high schools in Zambia. In schools, the sharing of one textbook between six pupils is not uncommon - in many cases, one textbook is shared by far more pupils. In most schools there are almost no supplementary reading materials for reading beyond the curriculum. In response to this need, FAWEZa started a pilot programme in Lusaka province targeting 12 government and grant-aided high schools. Government restraints on education funding have resulted in the relegation of expenditure on libraries to the bottom of the list. Progression to senior secondary is very tough and pupils who reach that level need a variety of good quality books. This has generated a demand for expansion of the FAWEZa mobile library project to more provinces.
In an evaluation of the project at the end of last year students were quite clear about the value of the books in improving their results. One student told us:
These books have really helped me a lot in my studies, because every time I am given the book I learn a new thing which is very interesting and helpful in my education. The mobile library has done a great thing in my life.
Requests for book aid
Book Aid International's Zambian partners do not accept or process applications for book support.