The Chief Executive Director of Book Aid International, BAI, a UK based International Charity, Alison Tweed has re-affirmed the institutions determination to continue to collaborate with Cameroonian organisations in stimulating the development of libraries, training and supply of books to communities.
She was speaking September 19 in the conference room of the Education Information Services International, EISERVI Yaounde; during a partners meeting that was also geared at informing the public about BAI as well as share perspectives about the institutions work in Cameroon and other African countries.
The visit was an occasion for Alison to meet partners and beneficiaries of BAI books gotten through EISERVI and their services in Yaounde to measure the value, effect and impact of BAI work in Cameroon and also seek to build lasting partnership with local organisations. Partners representatives from the Northwest and Southwest Regions also attended the conference.
In opening remarks, the Executive Director of EISERVI, Andrew Nyenty disclosed that Alison Tweed, whose evaluation and partnership building session spanned from September 16 to 20, 2023, was in Cameroon for the second time after the first visit of 2013.
Nyenty said since 2009 when BAI started partnering with Cameroon, Alison Tweed is the third Chief Executive Director with whom he is working. He said after four years of collaboration since 1994, EISERVI was elected as the best partner at BAIs 60th anniversary. He added that last year, he was nominated as member of the BAI Advisory Board.
The International Charity organisation works with partners in 26 countries around the world, many of which are in Africa, putting in place libraries and donating books to communities in order to create dynamic and literate societies through reading and learning for poverty alleviation. Nyenty said the thousands of books they receive each year cover the whole gamut of the educational spectrum from nursery to the university.
Referring to BAI, Nyenty said they provide millions of these books each year into the hands of the worlds most disadvantaged readers. At the libraries, children get a chance to read books they enjoy and so discover the pleasure as well as the value of reading and learning. The library helps children to unlock their potential and doors to a lifetime of opportunities.
Every year they support and send books to libraries in schools, prisons, community, refugee camps, universities and hospitals to encourage the education of the disadvantaged. BAI believes that if education is the road out of poverty, then books are the wheels needed for the journey, Nyenty stated.
He reiterated that since 1994, BAI has been working with EISERVI and other partners to rollout Cameroons book programme and since then, more than 2 500 000 books have been distributed to over 1 120 libraries and institutions, the majority being primary, secondary and high schools as well as community libraries. He said everything BAI does revolves around protecting and instilling the culture of reading in children. Nyenty said EISERVI is therefore determined to continue to work with BAI and the local partners for the books to reach the most interior parts of the Cameroon.
The Chief Executive Director of BAI said she was moved by the emotional testimonies from beneficiaries of the books they have been donating to Cameroonian communities through EISERVI.
Alison made known the institutions long-term commitment to work in Cameroon. She said on like in 2013 when she visited and travelled extensively in the Northwest and Southwest, her movement this time around was limited due the ongoing conflict in the two English speaking regions; a conflict she remarked is grossly under-reported.
She said BAI works to get books to those who dont have and strongly expressed the wish that all partners working with EISERVI will receive books for distribution in the communities. She said there are deep things that could only be gotten from reading books. Lets encourage children to read and they will remain lifetime readers. We need to focus and instill a ready culture in the kids for they are the future of tomorrow, she told the conference participants.
Alison said BAI receive book donations from over 100 publishers and as a charity, their goal is to encourage people to read for leisure, entertainment, understanding, knowledge acquisition and so on. She added that BAI does not necessarily provide books found in curriculums of countries. The conference was marked by a question and answer session.
By Nformi Sonde Kinsai
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