A Million Books Literacy Campaign

By District Programs Chair PP Dr. Janet Macharia

Education and basic literacy is crucial in our district. We continue to witness disparities in access to these two services caused by various factors mainly stemming from poverty. The Covid-19 pandemic has illuminated as well as widened these disparities as school-going children and those in tertiary institutions were forced to learn from home. This required that the learners and their institutions had access to affordable technologies/equipment that would enable home-based learning in addition to having the knowledge on how to carry out lessons online. Many learners who did not have access to these technologies suffered a lost year, which may have negative implications on their education in later years.

Yet the few with access to technologies/equipment and could afford them were able to move on. This makes it a concern for Rotary as we embark on projects that focus on education and literacy that benefit the less privileged in our society and we have to understand the contexts that target communities live in and the challenges they face.

This year we have a district target of distribution of 1 million books to schoolchildren. This can be achieved through library/school books projects at the club level. Ongoing projects under the education focus area include the joint UNICEF-Rotary return to schools WASH project that is ongoing.

What Clubs Can Do This Month To Commemorate The Basic Education And Literacy Focus Area

Clubs can develop/enhance integrated schools projects that include:
Infrastructure development: (Set up ablution blocks, supplying desks and chairs

Literacy: Provision of school books/library books; digital learning aids) and
Girls’ empowerment: Provision of sanitary pads initiatives that are context specific. These may require economic empowerment of surrounding communities.
Those with existing projects should consider establishing Rotary Community Corps (RCCs) to encourage community ownership and sustainability of their projects
Lastly Clubs should showcase their projects and tell their stories online. Please contact the district PR/innovation team for assistance if stuck.

I would advise that clubs work together around a common area, and education/literacy is one such area. Clubs in the same cluster can agree on how to support a certain number of schools in their area on a needs basis. It is so much easier to fund raise together to have a wider reach/impact.

In order to have successful community projects, Plan, Plan, Plan properly and together as a team. Follow existing rules and requirements for project development and application for grants. Have a strong accountability and governance framework and most of all be transparent. Remember to share about your projects online at district level and RI levels. It’s only by sharing that we not only learn from each other but we are able to share our story on the global platforms.

The District programs committee is always available to provide assistance to clubs with their service projects. I would advise club project directors to reach out to the chairs of the different focus areas and services outlined in the list attached at the bottom of this article.

ABOUT THE PROGRAMS CHAIR

Dr. Janet Kabeberi Macharia, a mother of two, is a 59 year old Kenyan with a career spanning 30 years in academia, nongovernmental organizations and international development organizations whose primary focus has been the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment, and children’s rights. She is the Head of the Gender and Social Safeguards Unit and is the Senior Gender Adviser in UN Environment Programme whose HQs are in Nairobi Kenya.

Janet holds a PhD in Law from the University of Warwick, a Master of Laws from Columbia University, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Women’s Law. She has extensively published books and articles in referred journals in various areas with a particular focus on gender issues, children’s rights, women’s human rights, law and development and environmental law.

Janet is a dedicated Rotarian and gives her services and time to the improve lives of the less fortunate in society. She is a past president of Rotary Club of Karura in Nairobi Kenya and, is the current District Programs Committee Chair for District 9212 that covers Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and South Sudan.