Book for Africa donates books and learning materials to state schools |22 March 2018

United States-based charity, Books for Africa, has officially handed over a donation of 604 boxes of text and library books as well as three map libraries and five electronic readers to the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development.

The donation is worth $11,195 or approximately R157,000.

The handover ceremony was held on Tuesday at the Perseverance primary school in the presence of the principal secretary for early childhood, primary and secondary education Dr Odile de Comarmond, Consular of the US embassy to Seychelles and Mauritius Jennifer Barr and the executive director of Books for Africa Patrick Plonski.

Also in attendance were the director general for primary schools Cyril Pillay, representative of North Island Company Limited Jacqueline Hoareau and a number of senior government officials, teachers, students and parents.

This donation is a result of collaboration between North Island Resort and local non-profit organisation Green Island Foundation which led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development and Books for Africa in October 2017.

The MoU laid down conditions and the responsibilities of each party with regards to Tuesday’s donation of more than 22,000 learning support materials.

During the ceremony, PS de Comarmond stated that the books and materials will be distributed in all of the primary and secondary schools as well as all of the professional centres in the country.

“They will be used by students and teachers to support learning in the different subjects but also for leisure reading. And we expect and ask our teachers and students to put those books and other materials to good use.”

On his side, Mr Plonksi recounted how he grew up in a small town in the middle of the United States and, as a small kid who loved to read, travelled and learned about the world through books.

“Reading has probably got me to where I am right now which is all the way from the central United States to the Seychelles. So I encourage you to read and it will take you to wherever you want to go, and you would go as far as you want to go,” Mr Plonski advised the students present.

PS de Comarmond and Mr Plonski also had the privilege of unveiling a plaque which acknowledges a donor and supporter of Books for Africa who wanted to honour her mother who was a teacher in a one-room school house.

Since its inception in 1988, Book for Africa has donated over 40 million books that have been dispatched to more than 46 African countries with Seychelles, Mauritius and Libya being the latest recipients.

“Books for Africa is one of the largest shippers of books to Africa and has sent books to almost every country on that continent over the last 30 years. I am happy that we have finally reached Seychelles today,” Mr Plonski added.

The ceremony concluded with the handover of gifts on behalf of all schools, viewing of books and a tour of the Perseverance primary school.