KidsLibs is a small organisation created by Anne Moore MBE, and was finally registered in Kenya in July 2007!!!. KidsLibs creates Community Based Information Centres with members of local communities and community based organisations (CBO's). KidsLibs does not only create them, but advises on buildings (rented or purpose built), finds stock (books, magazines, CD Roms etc) trains all staff in library skills, and keeps the Centres on the right path through monthly staff meetings (where staff from ALL centres come together to exchange ideas) and regular training sessions.

Kidslibs logo

Community-based Information Centres are centres run by members of the community in which they are located, for members of those individual communities.

Currently all our centres are to be found in some of the poorest areas of Nairobi, and in the rural areas of Kenya. They are places where all people - regardless of age, wealth, ethnic origin, cultural background or ability can come to meet, and to have access to information, and materials to encourage growth of imagination.

We encourage informal education, rather than formal school learning. The children in these areas use the centres as safe place where they can come to meet their friends, study for school - when there is no space at home-, read for pleasure, or just to feel safe. To other community members the centres are a way to access information, use a computer, spread ideas, complement academic studies, or simply to relax with a good book!

Other agencies also use our centres to disseminate their information. IOM provide us with talks and posters on human traffiking; Kenya Breast Health Programme have given talks at our centres, and provided information on Breast health and cancer awareness; Red Cross have given our staff basic first aid training; CLAN (Children's Legal Action Newtwork) attend our monthly meetings, and have provided the staff with information on rape and what to do when a child has been raped; AMREF let select members of our community use their hi tech medical library; ILRI want to be involved when our centre in Laikipia opens in 2008 to inform communities about care of livestock. Several women's organisations based in Nairobi want to give information to our centre in Laikipia on FGM, and other girl child/womens issues.

Kidslibs Community Based Information Centres are free and open to all - readers and non readers alike. We hope to make many more centres to cater for the needs of all of our communities. The slum areas of Nairobi need many more – Mathare valley has 16 zones, only three of which have community libraries so far!

Kidslibs also hope to create more information centres in the rural areas of Kenya where there is also a great need for access to information: in many places a newspaper is a rare sight. In some rural areas the centres can be seen as methods to impliment conflict resolution, as they can unite previously divided communities through a shared activity beneficial- and open - to all community members.

 

Donors and Sponsors 2008- UPDATED December 2008!!

We now desperately need major funding for the Kidslibs Trust; to build new Information Centres, to create new ones in existing buildings, and to facilitate the Kidslibs Trust itself. Now the Trust is registered (July 2007) KidsLibs will be able to receive money from donors as well as materials.

In August 2008 we received a donation from AOE Corporation, which enabled KLT to continue its work into 2009! We have also received a donation from Paterson Foundation which should enable us to continue a little longer!

We have previously received donations of money from Bamburi Cement, and from ECO Bank and Mercantile Insurance here in Kenya towards the running costs of KidsLibs!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU !!!! Also Safaricom Foundation are supporting our centre in Kawangware! Thank you also!!! Symbion Architects have also designed a beautiful information centre for us for Laikipia. Again they have done this free of charge! THANK YOU!

Kidslibs received stock many countries, including the USA, UK, Canada etc all of which has to be shipped etc and sorted on arrival. We have training sessions to organise, as well as office space, transport, telephone costs etc etc. I do have a concept paper available if anyone is interested in helping! Please contact Anne

As of January 2008 Kidslibs has been approached by Community Based Organisations from other areas of Nairobi wanting Community Based Information Centres ( Korogocho, Kibera...). Community groups in Nyanza Province, Gilgil, Nakuru, Mount Elgon area, Busia, Kakamega, and Lake Victoria region..Unfortunately without a sponsor for the KidsLibs Trust the rural areas are impossible to facilitate. Transporting stock, and training staff on site initially twice a week becomes impossible unless costs can be met.

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