CBL- Kenya
is another name for the KidsLibs Trust, which was finally registered
in Kenya in July 2007!!!. Kidslibs is a small organisation created
by Anne Moore MBE, who 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!
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.
