Global African Village

Photo from the GLAV website

The year I moved to 4th grade I read an article about Global African Village in Buffalo, NY.  They are a non-profit group working to help the Bagishu people  in Uganda.  The director, Sebastian Wanzama-Piro emmigrated to Canada from this rural community on Mt. Elgon and has since created a child care center for the children of the village.  I contacted them to see if we could partner with their school to provide books, write letters and raise funds - they happily agreed!  

Sharon Green,  in charge of Buffalo operations,  now visits my school each year to show students what life is like in Uganda without electricity, running water, roads or hospitals (the average life expectancy is 41 yrs.).  Last year we created an anthology of literature around the theme of “Hope”, we shipped several copies to our new friends and they were so inspired they began a library at their school.   This year we are writing our anthology about ‘Love’, my students are trying their hand at writing haiku poems for their submissions.  We’ve also sent penpal letters filling in our new friends about our life in New York.  The kids took digital cameras to HSBC Arena, to their dance studios and to Jamie’s Ice Cream...I can only imagine what the children in Uganda must think as they read about these spectacular spots.  We have also received many beautiful pen pal letters from them, written in English, their second language, and explaining their favorite foods and games.  The anthology and the letters have truly connected these children across the globe.

Sharing a book is the heart of the library, the opportunity to offer ideas to a person and in so doing bring a moment of escape, hope, joy,  connection or peace to their life.  
We heard it from Andrew Carnegie and Gary Paulsen and now from the children of Africa - books have the unique power to lift your spirit,  renew your hope and see your future -  all they need is a library to live in.
When you [give] a man a book you don't [give] just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue - you [give] him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humour and ships at sea by night - there's all heaven and earth in a book ~Christopher Morley