The Zimbabwe Rural Schools Library Trust is seeking to raise $50 000 towards the establishment of libraries in rural areas.
The fundraising will be held at a local hotel next week. Organising secretary of the trust Kudakwashe Muchenje said the deteriorating education system in Zimbabwe over the past decade had affected most schools, hence the initiative.
“Given the deterioration of the education system in Zimbabwe over the past decade, establishment of libraries within rural schools will provide a significant boost for the improvement of education and promotion of a reading culture within rural schools and communities.
“Current statistics reveal that out of the estimated 8 000 rural schools in the country today, only 7% of them are estimated to have established libraries,” Muchenje said.
Trust chairperson Matthew Chandavengerwa said: “Children usually do not read as what they are supposed to, so if we create a conducive environment the children will have a keen interest in reading. It will not help the children only but the entire community as well since there will be reading materials on diseases such as Aids and TB (tuberculosis).”
The Rural Schools Library Trust was established for the sustainable development of libraries in rural schools and communities. It was founded to fill the void in access to information and ICT in the countryside.
