Dieudonné Manishimwe, a pupil in primary three at G.S Tumba, says he lacked sufficient reading skills, however, when a community library was opened in Bungwe sector of Burera District, his reading skills gradually improved. “I joined the community library where we access children’s books to read. There are volunteers who help us with reading. I really came to the library struggling to read as I didn’t have enough skills in reading but I gradually caught up. This also improved my performance in class at school,” he says. The same happened to Jean Paul Manishimwe, also in primary three. “We got children’s books and the community library volunteer helps us to improve where we face difficulty. The library helped us a lot even before resuming normal classes,” he says. Alliance Uwihirwe, in P2, adds: “I have mastered reading in Kinyarwanda and I am keen on improving reading English.” The pupils are part of many that are benefitting from community libraries set up across the country in Kirehe, Ngororero, Ruhango, and Burera Districts. Laurence Umurerwa, a community library volunteer who helps children to improve reading skills, says over 218 children have been attending the community library in a rural village located in Burera District. “It wasn’t easy for the children to catch up, probably because they didn’t have many books to read, or because their parents did not play a role in helping them,” she says. She says that some children were struggling yet they were already in primary three. “So we had to spend over two hours every Tuesday and Saturday to promote reading skills among children at the community library. I also visit children in their homes to follow up on the books they take home, and I urge parents or guardians to also play a role in boosting a reading culture among their children. Parents should take their children to community libraries,” she adds. Theoneste Nteziryayo, another community library volunteer at G.S Rwaza, says that community libraries enhance children’s reading skills and their public speaking skills. Nepo Rugemintwaza, a commissioner at National Itorero Commission (NIC) which nurtures volunteering values in the youth, says that volunteers should play a role in boosting reading skills among illiterate adults and children. “Sacrifice should be inculcated among young people. The youth volunteers have joined the battle against illiteracy and more should join,” he says. Pierre Damien Hakizayezu, Burera district staff in charge of development partners, urges children and illiterate adults to make use of community libraries. “We will continue to add more books in collaboration with partners,” he says. Solange Umwizerwa, the deputy head of party at USAID’s Mureke Dusome project supporting community libraries, says they will collaborate with other partners to increase children’s books. “We are also considering disabled children. We trained other volunteers to also train parents on how they can help their children with disability improve reading skills and also send them to community libraries,” she says. There are over 888 Urugerero Youth Volunteers trained to help promote literacy in communities across the country. 40 community libraries across the country with 500 Kinyarwanda storybooks were established. Over 2500 reading clubs across the country where children gather outside of school were also created. The reading culture is also promoted through reading associations. There are 2, 524 associations of literacy and reading countrywide in every village that accommodates government schools. Since 2016, again over 800 different books were written by children themselves. Country Director for Save the Children, Maggie Korde, explains, “Increasing children’s access to reading materials and safe reading spaces in the community are priorities. Improving the culture of reading will help build a knowledge-based economy.”
