Working with our in-country partner, Arid Lands Information Network, (ALIN) we have recently completed a year-long project to support 12 Maarifa Centres in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
Young Maasai girls reading at the Nguruman Maarifa Centre
The Maarifa – or Community Knowledge – Centres exist to support rural farming communities across East Africa. They offer vital information to local people on areas such as food production and pest control. With a library and internet access, they provide students in rural areas with a place to access information and study.
In 2010, with support from leading UK publisher, Pearson plc, we provided over 6,700 books to the 12 Maarifa centres from our warehouse in London, a grant for ALIN to purchase books locally, and ran a five day training workshop bringing together 32 field officers and volunteers from across East Africa.
In addition, we provided three Maarifa Centres, as identified by ALIN as most in need, with grants for refurbishment. The Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre, located just 30 miles from the eastern shore of Lake Victoria in western Kenya was one such centre chosen to receive support.
Established in 2006, the centre provides the local community, consisting mainly of farmers, with advice and support on adapting farming practices to rising global temperatures and a place to document indigenous knowledge. Through this project, Gerald Yongo, ALIN Field Officer, was able carry out much needed rennovations, purchase bookshelves, tables and chairs and give the whole building a fresh coat of paint. The arrival of books from Book Aid International in May 2011 completed the transformation of Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre which is now being enjoyed by more children than ever before.
Enjoying new books at the Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre
“This was a dream come true to most of the people down here, this being an area that is double stricken by both HIV/AIDS and poverty of the highest degree. The environment here is full of orphans and widows as a majority, both struggling in less faith to make their ends meet. Text books and story books are luxuries that never crossed their minds, but today the centre sets an equal platform for all where poverty is no barrier to knowledge and information.”
Gerald Yongo, ALIN Field Officer
For more information about our work across sub-Saharan Africa, see the ‘Our work’ section.
