Libraries in Sub-Saharan Africa receive 1,500 books a year from Commonwealth Secretariat

Since 1993 a non-governmental organisation called The Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) has been ‘promoting gender equality and equity, equal opportunities and access to and control over resources for all citizens’ in the east African country.

A key part of its service is a resource centre in Dar es Salaam. For the past five years this centre has been supplied targeted books by Book Aid International as part of the charity’s Books for Development programme.

One regular visitor to the centre is Agnes Lubogo, a student at the Institute of Social Work, based in Dar es Salaam. “I believe a lack of confidence and unequal sharing of wealth between men and women are common problems that face women in most developing countries, including Tanzania,” she said.

“Because I have been reading books, I am well equipped with knowledge and experience from different people, one of many advantages I get from reading these books.”

The number of specialist resource centres - like TGNP - that are supported by Book Aid International grew by 35 per cent last year. The Books for Development programme responds to demand for targeted, high level books on topics ranging from agriculture to economic development and gender issues to health and housing.

These books are sent to NGOs and grassroots organisations, which, though varied in size and scope, are all working to improve the situation in their own countries and beyond through education, influencing policy and initiating their own programmes.

The UK-based charity currently makes books available and accessible through libraries in Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Palestine, Somalia (Puntland and Somaliland), Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

In 2009 Book Aid International received donations of new books worth £5.7 million from both publishers and other organisations, including the Commonwealth Secretariat, which gave 1,500 books last year.

The Secretariat’s publications cover a broad range of topics, including health, trade and education.

“The support we receive from the Commonwealth Secretariat is invaluable, helping us meet vital needs for books and information - every year we get positive feedback from our partners that specifically mentions the Secretariat’s publications,” said Rosa Anderson, Book Trade Development Manager at Book Aid International.

“Key titles, such as Implementing Inclusive Education, Without Prejudice and The Gender Responsive School, enable us to provide specialist and well-suited books to our partners, especially the many non-governmental organisations and universities that we support running educational or gender programmes and courses.”

Related News:

• Commonwealth Publications