The last week of term has come and gone in Zambia and
holidays began today. During last week we carried on with our book in every
hand scheme where we aim to give each child their own book to take home.
At Muke the children were delighted with their story books
and even if it may be too difficult for them to read, they delight in looking
at the pictures and discussing them in their own language. Seeing them busy
buried in the books is a delight.
And they will take them home, where other members
of the family and community will be able to read them. Giving the children
books is giving them something they wouldn’t otherwise have access to and brings
them into circulation in the community. This is really literacy in motion.
At Twabuka School we handed out more of the Miles Kelly
Bookbus branded fact books to all the children in grades 3 to 7. They were
extremely happy, especially the grades 3 and 4 for who it was their first book
and as we left we could see them all busy pouring over the books, discussing
the pictures and pointing things out to each other. Another fantastic sight and
great to know hundreds more books are circulating out in the rural communities.
There was also a surprise for the grades 1 and 2 at Twabuka,
they are not normally taught on Bookbus days.
But every week when we arrive they
hopefully hang out the windows shouting ‘are you coming to Grade 2 today?’ and I always
have to say ‘No’. But this week the answer was yes and to say they were happy
is an understatement. There was a lot of jumping up and down and cheering! And
magically, after reading “Giraffes Can’t Dance” and “Dear Zoo”, they were
transformed into classes of dancing giraffes!
Kelly August 2013
