Encouraging children to read for pleasure, which is distinct from it being a school task, has various benefits, as demonstrated by the success of the ‘ Access to Digital and Inclusive Community Literacy Environment’ project implemented in Rutunga sector, Gasabo district since May 2023.
Princess Nyampinga, a P4 student at Groupe Scolaire Rutunga, is one of the children who benefited from community libraries set up under the six-month project ‘Access to Digital and Inclusive Community Literacy Environment,’ implemented by Umuhuza organisation with UNESCO funds. The project aimed to increase community libraries equipped with inclusive and digital literacy resources.
Since Nyampinga regularly goes to Rutunga community library to read, she has made her teachers and parents proud. Her academic performance has improved, and her personality has become stronger.
She hailed the reading environment being friendly and attractive where community literacy champions use inclusive and engaging reading methods to allow children to easily and freely access hard copies of any book they are interested in, or use software to download books from an e-book catalogue.
In addition to her excellent performance at school, Nyampinga learned how to engage in household activities like cleaning, and her compliance and friendship with peers improved.
“ I like to read. I read different inspirational and educational books about brave girls, which encourage me to do well in school,” she said.