Update: 24^th November 2010

Dear Skittle Dog, Jen, James, Maaikelj, Eben, Mike, Maureen, David, Rebecca, Kay, Paul, Dom, Jas, Josephine, Rachel, Michelle, Jules, Ben, Jill, Kiki, Sue, Sally, Elizabeth, Max, Becs and Nic

Thanks to you 109 books have been shipped to the Nairobi slums. Three of the libraries that have benefited are in the Mathare North region where it is estimated that over 700,000 people live in extremely basic homes often made of cardboard and corrugated iron. Most families live in a single room with no power and running water is shared between many people.

Thank-you so much for making a difference. It really helps spread the word if you share this project by twitter, facebook and email, your recommendation counts. We'd love it if you did.

Many thanks,

Jacqui

Book Aid

Books are amazing things. Two readers wanted to share with you the best thing about their library: 

Mary, 16 years old

"The best thing about the library? I always come here to read…to read! The story books, they are enjoyable. I like goosebumps and books like Harry Potter. Even sometimes I come here to do homework, because like me, I don’t have a dictionary but here, I will find one here.

I want to say to all the people in this world that the library is very important to the children. It can help him or her in many ways, it can help the child learn more from the library which the parent can not help the child learn. Some of the children when they come here they don’t know how to read or to draw but the teachers inside here, they teach them. And they can express themselves more.”

Peter, 12 years old

“Before the library was built I would have problems doing my homework because our house had no electricity. At that time I was poor in my English because I didn’t have any storybooks or novels to read. After it was opened I was as happy as a king because I had a place to do my homework and read storybooks.

It has also changed my life: I was taught how to respect my family and friends by Stephen and Charles who run the library. Even the community has benefitted through the opening of this library. You could see street urchins hanging around doing nothing. But nowadays they come to read in the library because it does not charge a fee. God bless all the sponsors and donors, even those I don’t know, to continue helping the library in any way they can, because I have heard that all the books in the library are donated.”

A big thanks from Mary, Peter and all the other readers in the Nairobi slum region.