Capacity Enhancement for PEFO Community Library
Project Summery:
The PEFO Community Library project is an information center aimed at promoting a reading culture and provides access to information materials. The library is used as space for revision, reference and research work. Community access library computers and internet and utilize the indoor games while others come in groups for story telling sessions, group reading, lessons etc. Some read for fun and borrow books to read at their free time books. The organization is partnering with over 30 schools from within the communities of budondo and jinja District that use the library. Schools have deemed it essential to visit the facility on a weekly basis. Some schools have graduated from routine visits to borrowing of library books for individual, group and school use. The community library is also reaching out to children between ages 3-5, through providing basic care and early childhood learning.
Much as the community library strives to strengthen reading culture and transform learning into an enjoyable activity among children and communities in rural Uganda. The daily running and functioning of the community library is challenging. It has not reached its full potential but it also constantly registers high losses of books and other library materials, which make sustainability of the facility impossible.
Project description:
The library needs support in form of creating a system and strategies to ensure efficient functioning of the library. This will include but not limited to the designing of an E-book keeping strategy and other approaches that will promote quick book counting, safe record keeping, organization and monitoring of books, other library items and the library users. The strategy must also help in coming up with new activities that will promote the reading culture and encourage better utilization of the library.
Community Impact:
The management and administration of the community library will improve and be able to provide quality services to the community. There will be a quick, faster and safer library record keeping system with a Digital/e-library arrangement put in place and at least 2-3 reading for fun activities introduced to inspire reading. With proper tracking technology, the loss and damage of property at the facility will reduce. Consequently, there will be Increased number of ‘walk-in’ users and more local schools having access to the library.
Skills Required:
Good interpersonal skills, self-driven, adventurous, committed to work, understanding, loves people of all ages, and ready to work within and with people in the rural community. Skills In information technology and book science will be invaluable on this project. You will be required to submit a CV as well as going through a phone interview for the vetting process before your placement is confirmed.
Description of Community Partner:
Our Community organization you will work with on this project is Phoebe Education Fund for AIDS Orphans & vulnerable children (PEFO). The overall goal of the organization is to facilitate care and support for older persons and Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) households to promote sustainable Development. This is done through a 5 structured program Including (Education, Health, Livelihood & Micro-credit, Housing and Human rights), implemented following the ‘care-for-care givers’ approach which emphasizes mutual reinforcement between the two categories of beneficiaries iwithin Jinja, Busia, and Bugiri districts. The project is located in the rural Jinja, Budondo sub-county about 15 kms from Jinja town.