“Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” is a wonderful children’s song. So here is what happened in the Sumbrungu library last week when I was there for a late night (9:00pm) visit with Darius, the night librarian. He was there with 10 children, giving them practice dictation words. He would tell them words and they had to work together to figure out how to spell them, and the he tested them on their spelling. The bolder girls saw he was distracted and came up to me and started asking how to spell “Home” or “House”. When I started spelling the words, they screeched, “Darius, do you see??? Darius, he is telling us the words!!!” Later, we were still chatting with the children and a girl came up and asked me to sing a song. I tried a few, and eventually segued to “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.” Some of the girls gasped. “But,” they cried, “That is Mia and Jenevieve’s song. How can you sing that song? Do you really know that song?” Mia and Jenevieve, of course, were FAVL interns at the library last summer, about eight months ago. Their drawings and those children’s drawings they brought with them are still on the walls (see entry below). A big impact!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
“Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” is a wonderful children’s song. So here is what happened in the Sumbrungu library last week when I was there for a late night (9:00pm) visit with Darius, the night librarian. He was there with 10 children, giving them practice dictation words. He would tell them words and they had to work together to figure out how to spell them, and the he tested them on their spelling. The bolder girls saw he was distracted and came up to me and started asking how to spell “Home” or “House”. When I started spelling the words, they screeched, “Darius, do you see??? Darius, he is telling us the words!!!” Later, we were still chatting with the children and a girl came up and asked me to sing a song. I tried a few, and eventually segued to “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.” Some of the girls gasped. “But,” they cried, “That is Mia and Jenevieve’s song. How can you sing that song? Do you really know that song?” Mia and Jenevieve, of course, were FAVL interns at the library last summer, about eight months ago. Their drawings and those children’s drawings they brought with them are still on the walls (see entry below). A big impact!
Reading in Ouagadougou
I am reading Amos Oz's memoir, A Tale of Love and Darkness... sad but exhilarating writing. All the more marvellous because translated; Unlike Orhan Pamuk's Snow, another excellent book I read in the first weeks here, where the translation intrudes on occasion. Still, nothing like reading excellent fiction by two writers who themsemves love reading and be consolidating a library program in rural villages... goosebumps? Or is it the heat, now hovering between 40-45 (105-110).
Monday, March 26, 2007
Baobab trees one of the deights of Africa
Library "rules" and picking cotton under the sun not so nice, but hunting birds with slingshots beats reading most days... these boys don't know how to read anyway- only abou 40 percent of kids go to school.
Pictures from Ghana and Burkina
Top to bottom: The sign for Bolgatanga regional library; handing over funds to CESRUD- it takes a long long time to handcount 42 million cedis (about 4,000 dollars); Donkoui- coordinator in BF Tuy province, and adorable daughter Sylvie.
What does a FAVL “inspection” trip end up doing?
A long entry for today. I typed up some notes and reflections from my visit to Bolgatanga area in Ghana last week. Our idea at FAVL is to combine financial support for community libraries with a lot of attention to management. In Ghana, we are fortunate to partner with CESRUD, a local NGO established by some dedicated public servants from Sumbrungu village. They really do a great job of helping the librarians in Sumbrungu and Sherigu. But there is always room for improvement… so here without much editing are my notes from my trip that I sent back to the librarians and CESRUD board members.
A few reflections after my visit of last week.
Before anything, a special thank you to Darius and his sister for helping us to find some “torozom” (the white powder from the pods of the baobab tree). In Sudan I used to drink juice made from this powder all the time (in arabic it is called “gongolaise”) and I was so happy to find some and taste it once again. Delicious!
1) FAVL was very pleased to be able to make a donation of 42 million cedis to the CESRUD account for continuation of work on the Women’s Center in Sumbrungu, with the eventual completion of the (south?) wing that would be suitable for the Sumbrungu community library (which would concentrate on books for children, such as story books and school books, and perhaps should start thinking about how to better serve women, including perhaps eventually hiring and training a woman librarian). We anticipate that we will make another contribution of about 25 million cedis in April. For purposes of our donor “satisfaction” it would be wonderful if when I come in April I could get some pictures showing the progress in the building over the previous month. Who knows, we may then be able to quickly fundraise for another 25 million cedis enabling completion of the work before June!
2) FAVL is in discussion with three university-level volunteers for the Sumbrungu and Sherigu libraries. I think for their trip we should, as we discussed, have a fixed “administrative fee” that CESRUD would receive for their time in Bolgatanga. This would include perhaps: (1) meeting and greeting by CESRUD board member upon their arrival in Bolgatanga, (2) welcome dinner with 2-3 CESRUD board members and librarians, (3) tour of Bolgatanga town, health clinic, and market with a librarian, (4) help in purchasing bicycle in market (that will eventually be left in women’s center for use by future volunteers and library personnel), (5) tours – on bicycle—of Sumbrungu and Sherigu, (6) tour of primary and JSS school, (7) three week “debriefing” lunch with a CESRUD board member and librarians- how is work going? Questions? (8) Assistance as needed for emergency health issues, or other emergency issues (theft, assault).
On the functioning of the libraries… I had a few reflections on the physical state of the libraries. I understand how in Sumbrungu the library will move hopefully in the summer to the Women’s Center. And in Sherigu perhaps the longer term is also to move over the Catholic Center and refurbish the roof there as soon as the Sumbrungu Women’s Center is completed. So there is no need to do much for the building. However, I do think that the furniture (tables and benches) could use some precautionary maintenance (varnish/paint/resurface) to protect it for the longer term. Can a carpenter be hired to do that protection? Also, I noticed on the walls in Sumbrungu that there are pictures by children and Mia and Jenevieve. These pictures are nice, but I think the idea is that they should be “renewed” every few months. Perhaps some petty cash funds can be used to buy drawing paper and colored crayons or paints, and some of the older children can make some decorations. Just four or five children would do a nice job I think… especially if they were encouraged to draw something about reading and the library or school. Also, I think both libraries need to have a better system of registering books so that it will be easier to conduct periodic inventories of the books. Perhaps each book when it is registered into the book registry accession book could be given a number (starting from 1, going to about 1000 now for each library). That way, when it is time to do an inventory, it will only take a few hours. We can talk about this in April. Finally, and this is for Sherigu especially, both libraries should have the library hours posted inside *and* outside the library. Both libraries should had a sign indicating the library (how is it possible that Sherigu still has no sign, even a wooden sign on the building?). Since Claudia is funding the storyteller, there should be regular hours for the storyteller posted on the library. In Burkina Faso, each library has a wooden bulletin board that is hung outside the library when the librarian opens the library, and this has announcements and hours and regulations. These are not very expensive to make and are very convenient.
Some more specific comments… Each library should have their “minutes” book up to date, not just with minutes of official meetings, but also short summaries of informal meetings or events in the library. That way when a visitor comes from FAVL or CESRUD they can take a quick look through the minutes book and see what issues have been under discussion. We discussed also the libraries perhaps training and having some student assistants, in JSS or SS who are very good readers and who would come to the library to help younger students with their lessons or with reading storybooks. We discussed also with Lucas about the possibility of making a large banner that would be used for celebrations etc., saying something like “Sumbrungu Community Library, supported by CESRUDand FAVL” with a picture of a child reading, and possibly a slogan about the importance of reading. Likewise, we discussed the idea of ordering Lacoste shirts with the slogan and picture also. I will leave it to you to think about that and perhaps find out the costs and perhaps we can discuss further via email or when I come in April.
On the accounts… In general Lucas is keeping excellent accounts, and keeping me regularly posted of the CESRUD bank accounts, the CESRUD petty cash accounts, and the Sumbrungu petty cash account. It is excellent work. For Bernard and Sherigu, I find that I do not have a statement of accounts for the last four months of 2006 (Sept-Oct-Nov-Dec). Bernard, could these please be prepared, or copied if you already sent them, and given to me at the end of April when I return? Thank you.
A few specific things on the accounts...
First, every month the coordinator honorarium of 250,000 cedis is being deducted. Since CESRUD board members are perhaps sometimes busy, I wanted to make sure that someone in CESRUD is receiving this regularly. If not, please speak with Lucas!
Second, in the accounts Rex is listed as having received a transfer of 3,030,000 cedis for expenses with Kathy Knowles visit. But in my accounts I have the transfer as 3,644,800. I do not have the receipts here with me, but I wonder if Rex perhaps you have the receipt and we can confirm whether I or you or Lucas has made a mistake in accounting. Not a large amount, but I like the account books to be 100% correct.
Third, on 19/9/06 in the CESRUD petty cash accounts there is listed a transfer of 200,000 to a petty cash account of a library, but it does not say which one- Sherigu or Sumbrungu. Since I do not have the Sherigu accounts for that period it is a question to be resolved. Also, in the CESRUD petty accounts there is listed a transfer to Sherigu petty cash of 200,000 in October 2006 but in the Sherigu account book that I saw in the Sherigu library this transfer was listed as 300,000.
Fourth, on the Sumbrungu petty cash accounts are listed two expenses of 100,000 for “machine” and I do not know what those expenses are for and was curious.
All of these questions are fairly minor, and we can clear them up when I return in April. Again, in general CESRUD is doing an excellent job in accounting for the funds allocated from FAVL. Thank you so much
A few reflections after my visit of last week.
Before anything, a special thank you to Darius and his sister for helping us to find some “torozom” (the white powder from the pods of the baobab tree). In Sudan I used to drink juice made from this powder all the time (in arabic it is called “gongolaise”) and I was so happy to find some and taste it once again. Delicious!
1) FAVL was very pleased to be able to make a donation of 42 million cedis to the CESRUD account for continuation of work on the Women’s Center in Sumbrungu, with the eventual completion of the (south?) wing that would be suitable for the Sumbrungu community library (which would concentrate on books for children, such as story books and school books, and perhaps should start thinking about how to better serve women, including perhaps eventually hiring and training a woman librarian). We anticipate that we will make another contribution of about 25 million cedis in April. For purposes of our donor “satisfaction” it would be wonderful if when I come in April I could get some pictures showing the progress in the building over the previous month. Who knows, we may then be able to quickly fundraise for another 25 million cedis enabling completion of the work before June!
2) FAVL is in discussion with three university-level volunteers for the Sumbrungu and Sherigu libraries. I think for their trip we should, as we discussed, have a fixed “administrative fee” that CESRUD would receive for their time in Bolgatanga. This would include perhaps: (1) meeting and greeting by CESRUD board member upon their arrival in Bolgatanga, (2) welcome dinner with 2-3 CESRUD board members and librarians, (3) tour of Bolgatanga town, health clinic, and market with a librarian, (4) help in purchasing bicycle in market (that will eventually be left in women’s center for use by future volunteers and library personnel), (5) tours – on bicycle—of Sumbrungu and Sherigu, (6) tour of primary and JSS school, (7) three week “debriefing” lunch with a CESRUD board member and librarians- how is work going? Questions? (8) Assistance as needed for emergency health issues, or other emergency issues (theft, assault).
On the functioning of the libraries… I had a few reflections on the physical state of the libraries. I understand how in Sumbrungu the library will move hopefully in the summer to the Women’s Center. And in Sherigu perhaps the longer term is also to move over the Catholic Center and refurbish the roof there as soon as the Sumbrungu Women’s Center is completed. So there is no need to do much for the building. However, I do think that the furniture (tables and benches) could use some precautionary maintenance (varnish/paint/resurface) to protect it for the longer term. Can a carpenter be hired to do that protection? Also, I noticed on the walls in Sumbrungu that there are pictures by children and Mia and Jenevieve. These pictures are nice, but I think the idea is that they should be “renewed” every few months. Perhaps some petty cash funds can be used to buy drawing paper and colored crayons or paints, and some of the older children can make some decorations. Just four or five children would do a nice job I think… especially if they were encouraged to draw something about reading and the library or school. Also, I think both libraries need to have a better system of registering books so that it will be easier to conduct periodic inventories of the books. Perhaps each book when it is registered into the book registry accession book could be given a number (starting from 1, going to about 1000 now for each library). That way, when it is time to do an inventory, it will only take a few hours. We can talk about this in April. Finally, and this is for Sherigu especially, both libraries should have the library hours posted inside *and* outside the library. Both libraries should had a sign indicating the library (how is it possible that Sherigu still has no sign, even a wooden sign on the building?). Since Claudia is funding the storyteller, there should be regular hours for the storyteller posted on the library. In Burkina Faso, each library has a wooden bulletin board that is hung outside the library when the librarian opens the library, and this has announcements and hours and regulations. These are not very expensive to make and are very convenient.
Some more specific comments… Each library should have their “minutes” book up to date, not just with minutes of official meetings, but also short summaries of informal meetings or events in the library. That way when a visitor comes from FAVL or CESRUD they can take a quick look through the minutes book and see what issues have been under discussion. We discussed also the libraries perhaps training and having some student assistants, in JSS or SS who are very good readers and who would come to the library to help younger students with their lessons or with reading storybooks. We discussed also with Lucas about the possibility of making a large banner that would be used for celebrations etc., saying something like “Sumbrungu Community Library, supported by CESRUDand FAVL” with a picture of a child reading, and possibly a slogan about the importance of reading. Likewise, we discussed the idea of ordering Lacoste shirts with the slogan and picture also. I will leave it to you to think about that and perhaps find out the costs and perhaps we can discuss further via email or when I come in April.
On the accounts… In general Lucas is keeping excellent accounts, and keeping me regularly posted of the CESRUD bank accounts, the CESRUD petty cash accounts, and the Sumbrungu petty cash account. It is excellent work. For Bernard and Sherigu, I find that I do not have a statement of accounts for the last four months of 2006 (Sept-Oct-Nov-Dec). Bernard, could these please be prepared, or copied if you already sent them, and given to me at the end of April when I return? Thank you.
A few specific things on the accounts...
First, every month the coordinator honorarium of 250,000 cedis is being deducted. Since CESRUD board members are perhaps sometimes busy, I wanted to make sure that someone in CESRUD is receiving this regularly. If not, please speak with Lucas!
Second, in the accounts Rex is listed as having received a transfer of 3,030,000 cedis for expenses with Kathy Knowles visit. But in my accounts I have the transfer as 3,644,800. I do not have the receipts here with me, but I wonder if Rex perhaps you have the receipt and we can confirm whether I or you or Lucas has made a mistake in accounting. Not a large amount, but I like the account books to be 100% correct.
Third, on 19/9/06 in the CESRUD petty cash accounts there is listed a transfer of 200,000 to a petty cash account of a library, but it does not say which one- Sherigu or Sumbrungu. Since I do not have the Sherigu accounts for that period it is a question to be resolved. Also, in the CESRUD petty accounts there is listed a transfer to Sherigu petty cash of 200,000 in October 2006 but in the Sherigu account book that I saw in the Sherigu library this transfer was listed as 300,000.
Fourth, on the Sumbrungu petty cash accounts are listed two expenses of 100,000 for “machine” and I do not know what those expenses are for and was curious.
All of these questions are fairly minor, and we can clear them up when I return in April. Again, in general CESRUD is doing an excellent job in accounting for the funds allocated from FAVL. Thank you so much
What should school be like for every child?
Here in Ouagadougou we are fortunate, because of Leslie’s Fulbright grant, to have our children attend the International School of Ouagadougou. It is an amazing school. Most of the teachers are American expatriates, but Sukie’s is Nada Soudan, a Lebanese-Burkinabè (so, English, French, Arabic and some local languages). She organized a little “production” of the story “Caps for Sale”. Sukie was a flower, along with some of the other girls. Don’t let the picture fool you, though. Most of the children at the school are 
expatriate Africans or wealthy (yes, it is expensive) Burkinabè. A really nice mix. Elliot, by the way, has been reading Harry Potter from cover to cover. Burkinabè are pretty impressed that an eight-year old is reading a 600+ page book. We know though that Elliot’s friend Grant was reading the books when he was six!Sunday, March 25, 2007
Photography from Liz Bernard
Last Thursday we attended a small 'Art in Embassies' reception at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Ouagadougou. The ambassador is from Wyoming, so there were lots of beautiful paintings and photographs from the West (including a paid of remarkable Sioux beaded moccasins presented to her grandmother in 1919!). An embassy staffer, Liz Bernard, is also a photographer, and had lots of her photos on display. They can be purchased through her online gallery.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Helping to establish a village library
A friend of libraries writes about advice for a school in a remote village in Panama, picture attached. How might they go about setting up a library? While there are some great resources online (see the short documents linked on the FAVL website) my single most important piece of advice is to think through the question of who will run the library: who will have an interest in running the library? And how will they be monitored? A lot of volunteers think that because they themselves are full of goodwill that so will everyone in a village. And they think that if they have two weeks of time to devote to a poor village, why should the villagers (or teachers), who are often just sitting around anyway, not take the time to run the library, as volunteers? I am not being cynical or sarcastic here… often there is a profound misunderstanding of the nature of village societies… one wants a romantic vision of a community in solidarity… one gets a real community of hard lives, petty jealousies, and serious politics often involving violence. A community library can serve as a point of transcendence, but can just as easily become a locus of contention. So a lot of local knowledge and careful attention, with a commitment to years of support, is needed. There are more cautionary tales than 1001 nights... But go at it with gusto and dedication, please!Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Reading books in Burkina Faso...
Thanks to the suggestion of a friend, I just finished reading The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. A big potboiler book for novel lovers and people, like me, who when young were enthusiasts of understanding the Spanish Civil War- Lorca, Hemingway, Durruti and all that…A bit contrived, but a great book for Burkina Faso, where an agonizing full-body-fatigue of 24 hours means all you can do is sit and read and hope that it isn’t malaria (which it wasn’t).By the way, Blaise Compaoré, President of Burkina Faso, has just brokered a peace deal between the two fighting sides of Cote d’Ivoire. They’ve agreed to numerous deals in the past, let’s hope this one sticks.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
David Pace finds that the epic of Sundiata rocks
What a great picture of kids fully entranced by a book...
We'd like more games in the libraries
Elliot's monopoly set, bought at the American Rec Center's annual garage sale in Ouagadouou, will probably end up in a Ghana library. It is in English, so not much use here. We've got nice 'mankala' sets in some of the libraries, carved out of huge logs....
You can read about them in the library, or see in person!
Working with African libraries does have some small perks... we got to take an outing to Nazinga game park in south-eastern Burkina Faso, and see lots and lots of elephants.... Truly amazing.
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