Michael Morpurgo meets Phenny Birungi
Book Aid International: 50 Years of fighting the book famine
2004 marks the 50th anniversary of Book Aid International- the UK-based charity which gets books into the hands of the world's most disadvantaged and educationally deprived readers.
In the UK, World Book Day is a joyous celebration of favourite books and authors. In the developing world, it's a very different story - books are still a necessity that are denied to many children and adults, simply by virtue of circumstance.
Ahead of World Book Day 2004 (March 4th), UK Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo will meet with Phenny Birungi, the recently retired Director of Uganda's National Library, to find out more about the impact that books can have on peoples lives in a developing world country, where books are often scarce. The meeting will take place on Saturday 21st February 2004.
Book Aid International has been supporting Uganda's library service for more than 10 years - supplying 20,000 books each year.
Michael was drawn to Book Aid International's work since he feels that no child should miss out on the incredible gift of storytelling that will draw them into reading and writing. He will be travelling to Uganda to see Book Aid International's projects at first hand later on in 2004.
Phenny worked in Uganda's library service for more than twenty years, helping to create educational opportunities for people throughout Uganda. Library services play a pivotal role there since books are too expensive for the vast majority of people.
Together they will explore the joys of reading shared by children the world over, even though vast differences in wealth and culture may divide them.
Uganda background
Uganda has seen a dramatic expansion in primary school education provision following the adoption of a policy of Universal Primary Education (UPE). This resulted in a leap in primary school enrolment from 2.8 million in 1997 to 6 million in 2002.
However, a 2001 study of students in the capital city, Kampala, revealed that only 10% of primary school children could read accurately and that many did not have access to books. This is because in Uganda, as in so many other African nations, resources are hugely overstretched. Typically, a Ugandan school owns only one text book per six pupils and classes will often contain more than 50 pupils.
More than 40 Ugandan schools receive Book Aid International books each year. These are distributed by the National Library of Uganda.
Editor's Notes
Book Aid International has been fighting the 'book famine' for 50 years. The charity's work demonstrates the power of books in making a significant, practical difference to improve the lives of people and nations. The charity provides short-term solutions to crisis situations - sending out English language books to help fight illiteracy. The charity is equally committed to longer-term solutions and works with communities worldwide to build up local publishing and bookselling projects.
Michael Morpurgo has contributed a short story to 'Eating Words for Breakfast' an anthology marking Book Aid International's 50th birthday year. The book is published by Puffin on World Book Day, 4th March. All royalties go to Book Aid International.