$1200 for Textbooks

It started with fifteen books taken from my bookshelf. A couple of months later forty more came, from Belgium. And then a few more.

Thus the seeds for the first public library in Buhugu were being sown.

One thing we noticed was that a number of students were asking for books related to what they were learning at school. We would try to find the book that best matched their topic of interest, or look it up on the digital encyclopedia. But it was becoming apparent that textbooks serve a purpose, and without access to them, the students were at a significant disadvantage.

So, how to equip the library with text books? They have to be purchased, in Uganda, as the books are specific to the country's curriculum. Books cost about the same in Uganda as they do, say in America. (Why books remain unaffordable to a vast number of people in this world is a puzzling question.)

We spoke with the teachers and started to compile a list of the most needed books. With the help of a distributor in Kampala, we came up with the initial cost estimates, not knowing where we would find the funds, but determined nevertheless.

And recently we received $1200 towards the initial purchase.

It was donated by Professor Henk Monkhorst of the University of Florida. Professor Monkhorst had taken an interest in the goings on at Buhugu some months back. Many questions and discussions followed, and he gave us much encouragement, advice and tried to link us to other resources that might be of help.

Getting started is often harder than making progress. And so, we are very grateful for this generous gift. Thank you Henk.