$AU 4 million in books…
Tasmania organisation Library Aid International Inc, (LAI) has provided more than 240,000 books and educational resources free-of-charge to over 450 needy schools in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Fiji since 2011…valued at around $AU 4 million! LAI aims to improve educational outcomes and life opportunities of disadvantaged children as ‘Readers Become Leaders’ in their own countries and communities. Education is vital to breaking the poverty cycle in such countries and societies benefit with lower crime, better overall health, and civic involvement.
Contents plus Container to Fiji…
LAI’s ninth container of 849 boxes with 26,000 books and educational resources including 35 used Department of Education laptop computers is bound for Lautoka in Fiji arriving in late August. Prices of books in Fiji if available has tripled which has become inaccessible for most schools.
The container will be purchased by one of the schools for storage of books and other school resources. The funds from this sale will allow shipment of two crates of computers, and other school items that were donated to the project for Fiji schools and to assist in bringing 10 teachers on a study tour to Australia next year.
Rotary Club of Lautoka and others as part of the Rotary Australia Fiji Schools Project (RAFSP) will distribute to the schools in need. Four laptops, monitors, books, and educational resources are for St Tabitha Orphanage in Seweri, Fiji as part of HADA project Fiji – Education and Orphan Care Program FJI-500.
Poverty cycle…
The high dropout rate from school in Fiji is due to poverty, pressure to work, lack of resources leading to failure to pass national examinations. Among adults, there is a clear link between low education, insecure employment status, and low incomes. Enabling poor children to stay healthy and in school helps prevent them from becoming the next generation of disadvantaged adults.
You can help…
LAI are about to start filling a tenth shipping container for an overseas destination. Please consider if you can help with this container by volunteering your help to sort and pack books or by donating children’s books or educational resources. Books and other resources needed are listed on the Donations Page at website https://libraryaid.org.au or on LAI Facebook page.
If you wish to assist by donating money, please click on “Donate to this Project” in the right sidebar.
All gifts are tax deductible and will benefit this project in their entirety except for bank fees.
