Books for Zimbabwe

My friend Peggy Frank of Positively Africa sends along a request for books for children in Zimbabwe from Doug Funk

I need books for Zimbabwean school children and young adults. I will be sending a 20 foot steel container of books from Victoria to Harare, Zimbabwe. I hope to pack the container around June 20, 3 weeks away, next month. I have around 5,000 books thanks to the Compassionate Warehouse in Esquimalt but would love to double that amount.

What I need are reading books  … something that will help Zimbabwean school children to learn the love of reading. If you have 1 book, 10 books or more, all are welcome.

I have helped start a new “learning to read” program  in Zimbabwe called THRASS, and it’s working great. Early reports are of a 50% increase in literacy within 6 months. That’s terrific but the kids have no books to read! You can help!!!

I need anything from kindergarten “learning to read material” right though to high school and adult novels. Please carefully select any books you may consider giving that they are appropriate (no werewolves, demons, nothing to sexual, etc.)

Also, no text books as they use a very different curriculum there.

You can drop your books off at my house, call or email for location and to arrange drop off.

(250-370-0077)

dougsolon at gmail dot com

Please pass this message on to your book club, church, office school, friends, anyone that you think would be willing to help.

Thanks for anything you can do to help!!!   … Doug

THRASS stands for Teaching Handwriting, Reading and Spelling Skills. Developed in the UK for kids there. It is now moving around the world.

If your interested in THRASS, have a look at these websites:

http://www.thrass.co.uk/

www.thrass.co.uk/cart/cc.htm

www.thrass.co.uk/zimbabwe0309.htm

www.phonememachine.com

Solo

Every day I take my small dog for a walk in the neighbourhood – sometimes up the hill to the Garry Oak meadow, sometimes past the temple and around.

Yesterday two young girls called out, telling me how pretty she was. A long conversation ensued about the appropriate way to pet a dog, the new baby, soon to be born, whether they were any help to their mom, had they been up the hill to the meadow, their names.

As we walked away I reflected and questioned, had I no dog to call out to, would they have called out to me.

Many times I know the name of the dogs here before those of their owners. We share common concerns about bylaw enforcement & green space but bit by bit we share our lives.

Dog create community in a way that no other animal does. I am reminded of a sign that our neighbour posted on her lawn to tell everyone that her beloved pet, known to all, a celebrity, had died. Soon the lawn was filled with flowers, cards and small gifts. We wept.

And yet, it is harder and harder to own a dog, and keep a dog in this increasingly single society where they often provide the only companionship.

So, I walk, and as I walk, I learn my neighbourhood and am “the familiar stranger” to many.