Ethiopia Reads

SEE SCHEDULE O.ETHIOPIA READS MISSION IS TO BUILD A READING CULTURE IN ETHIOPIA BY CONNECTINGCHILDREN WITH BOOKS, LIBRARIES, AND TRAINED LIBRARIANS.

SEE SCHEDULE O.LIBRARIES: IN ADDITION TO OUR EXISTING PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN ADDIS ABABA AND HAWASSA, THE 75 SCHOOL LIBRARIES WE ESTABLISHED AND HORSE AND DONKEY MOBILE LIBRARIES, IN 2019-20 WE HAD 3 NEW SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY LIBRARIES* OPEN AND RUNNING, ADDING PROGRAMS AND DURING THE COVID-19 SCHOOL CLOSING WE STARTED FAMILY LENDING SERVICES FROM OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES. IN HAWASSA, WE REOPENED OUR DONKEY MOBILE LIBRARY PROGRAM WHICH TAKES BOOKS AND A DONKEY-HANDLER/LIBRARIAN AROUND DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE. BOOKS: WE RECEIVED AND DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE TO SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ALL OF ONE AND PART OF A SECOND LARGE SHIPMENTS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE BOOKS FROM BOOK AID IN THE UK. DURING THE YEAR, WE ALSO WON SUPPORT AND LOGISTICAL PLANNING FOR A OUR SECOND LARGE PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION TO 250 SCHOOLS OF 100,000 LOCAL LANGUAGE BOOKS, PLANNED FOR THE FALL OF 2020. WE ALSO HELD A BOOK DAY FOR THE ETHIOPIAN CHILDREN'S BOOK INDUSTRY AT OUR 2ND NATIONAL CHILDREN'S READING SUMMIT. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: OVER SEVERAL YEARS OF PILOTING AND TESTING AT OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES, WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COURSES FOR LIBRARIANS AND EDUCATORS WORKING WITH CHILDREN ON READING, CALLED THE BOOK CENTRED LEARNING CURRICULUM. DURING 2019-2020 WE DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND, RECOGNIZING THE QUALITY OF OUR WORK, THEY REQUESTED AND APPROVED A PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH 300 HIGH QUALITY LIBRARIES IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS AS A PILOT PROJECT. (THIS REPRESENTS 1% OF ETHIOPIA'S 30,000 PRIMARY SCHOOLS, ALMOST ALL WITHOUT LIBRARIES). WE AND THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION ARE WORKING TO IDENTIFY FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT. ADVOCACY: DURING 2019-20: (A) HELD OUR 2ND CHILDREN'S READING FESTIVAL WHERE WE INVITE YOUNGER CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS TO A CELEBRATION OF READING AND BOOKS, WITH MANY ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND ADVOCACY TO PARENTS ABOUT READING TO THEIR CHILDREN AND HAVING BOOKS AT HOME; (B) HELD FAMILY LITERACY DAYS AT OUR PUBLIC LIBRRAIES WHICH ENCOURAGED THE FAMILIES OF THE CHILDREN WHO USE OUR LIBRARIES TO COME IN AND HEAR ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIORITISING READING AT HOME AND READING TO CHILDREN TO SUPPORT THEM (C) HELD OUR 2ND NATIONAL CHILDREN'S READING SUMMIT TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEMS AROUND CHILDREN'S READING, LITERACY AND THE BOOK INDUSTRY IN ETHIOPIA. OVER 150 PROFESSIONALS IN READING AND EDUCATION ATTENDED AND IT WAS VERY WELL RECEIEVED. WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION ON EXPLORING WAYS TO IMPROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIBRARIES.