Great things are done by a series of small things brought together - Vincent van Goh
The trip to Meru today was about a mind inspired, a space that opens doors and windows of opportunity to the youth , a space that is changing its community a person at a time.The Tunachop Launch, did not disappoint. There is something about a room full of youthful faces that moves something in me. It is a roomful of potential, bright minds and futures that we have not yet even began to be dream about.
Our hero today is named Kenneth. A young man who started off at the library (KNLS Meru ) when he was just a tot. Sometimes we underestimate the little things in life. Let me explain. This is a child that was born like any other but the difference is, he was allowed into the library and the library opened for him a window of opportunity. With free programs that teach you about computers to people who really care about what happens to the you in the community. They don't just let you as a youth sit idly. They have all this little innovative programs that keep the youth busy , from going for hikes to having a vegetable patch that the kids can participate in, to letting them participate in library activities such as putting books back on the shelves, cleaning, and going out for outreach programs. They even get certificates of participation that have seen many of them get leadership positions in their respective schools.What better space to send your child?
I could hear the pride in Kenneth's voice. He is now at Stanford University California. This son of the African soil is making people like you and me proud despite being strangers that this far He has come. He did not just leave, he is here today because he is paying it forward. He feels its time to sow the seed in others that was once sown in him. I've been watching the faces of the librarians here with immense satisfaction. The tree is grown. Here is evidence , living proof that libraries can change lives. It is one of their own. The room is filled with awe as he explains what his program can do for others. I can see minds awakened. I can see pieces fit into each other like lego blocks. This is not just a library anymore its a transformational space with great leaders.
WHERE DOES IT ALL BEGIN?
Books inspire , evoke dreams, show us that we can achieve whatever we aspire to do. However, not everyone has books. American friends of Kenya looked into Africa and saw Kenya. they say communities that needed help in terms of getting books, and not just books, but books that were well sorted, and useful and fun to read. They came up with a model that enabled community libraries to be born and sustain themselves for years with little or nothing except for resources which they send every year that include books, library materials, school supplies and medical supplies. They do not just stop there, they promote parent involvement,encourage proffessional development and create networks to foster communications. And the impact has been felt.
That is why we are here today. This here is a library which has been touched by AFK . AFK saw that libraries both community and public were dynamic , versatile centers that invested in empowering and educating young people. The potential for libraries is immense .In Meru, it does not just stop at Kenneth. There are many more others lives being touched here- great resources and great leaders at work. AFK's influence is not limited to Just Meru, they are all over the country through dynamic network leaders who are doing great things.A labour of love. Selflessness that cannot be captured in words. Today I was inspired. What we do is not in vain. Wherever it is you are and you have contributed to such a worthy cause , never stop giving. It is because of you that our Kenyan sons and daughters will be able to change their communities...sometimes a book at a time, a step at a time and like Kenneth, a great idea at a time.
#American friends of Kenya
# Inspire Nyeri Kenya
# KNLS Meru
written by Emily Miller.
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