A group of young professionals in Mombasa have teamed up in a bid to inculcate the reading culture among children and youth in slum areas in Mombasa.
The Sparkling Minds Association (SMA) has partnered with the Mombasa County Library to provide books to children and youth in slums through book clubs, which will be conducted every fortnight.
“We will be reading with the children. We want to revive the reading culture in Kenya,” Caren Owuor, SMA Operations Director, said on Sunday.
She added that the aim of the association, formed last year, is to change the mindset of young people to embrace the reading culture and make a difference in their lives.
“We believe the youth are the backbone of our country. If we can start the change with the youth and children, we believe we will go far. The Book Club was an idea of the members to go out and reach out to the slum dwellers,” Owuor explained.
During the reading sessions, the association will be able to discern the needs of children living in slums and be able to assist. The association will also identify different talents as the children engage in fun games in between the sessions to break the monotony.
The Book Club is for all the children and youth, including those who have never been to school and those who have dropped out of school. When the reading culture is inculcated, SMA envisions attitudinal and behavioural changes.
“It will also help curb crimes and criminal gangs. The youth will be forming not a gang of chewing muguka/khat but a gang of youth who want to open a business to improve their livelihoods,” Owuor said.
SMA targets to spread its activities to the neighbouring counties of Kilifi and Kwale. The programme has the support of the Ministry of Education and the local National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO).
Mombasa County Library librarian Caroline Gachako, said they are augmenting the initiative by providing the books to the children in the slums, where most cannot afford to buy their own.
“Apart from the reading, the children are also involved in other creative games to make reading more fun and attract them to the library,” Gachako said.
SMA borrows the books for about a month from the library and returns them in exchange for other books.
“Currently, in the Mombasa County Library, we have about 30,000 books that cut across all subjects and genres for all groups of people,” Gachako said.
She encouraged parents to ensure their children use the public library, saying it is a safe space for them.
Mombasa Deputy County Commissioner Ronald Mwiwawi said the county’s performance in education is wanting and urged SMA to extend the programme to other residential areas.
“I’m encouraged by this initiative that seeks to grow interest in reading in children. I would appeal to the founders to not only target slum areas but other areas as well,” Mwiwawi said.
He underscored the need for the coastal city to build its human capital by ensuring all residents embrace education wholeheartedly. “With the spirit of devolution, without human capital then we are doomed,” he said.
Ernest Wachira, a parent from Moroto slums, said they do not have money to buy books for their children, and the SMA Book Club comes in handy for them.
“We do not have textbooks even in the schools. This initiative brings the textbooks to the children. It is a plus for us,” he said.
Beatrice Awuor, a parent from Moroto, said the SMA Book Club has made her discover the talents of her child and also those of her neighbours’ children.
“I am happy that our children are happy being here. The books will help them realise the importance of education. We want them to grow into responsible and successful people who will then take us out of the slums,” Awuor said.
By Sadik Hassan
