The library building for the Lycee de Lara in Cameroon was finished at the end of June 2008. The Library has a large reading room, a space for the librarian to work in and an office. Its equipped with two long tables with benches either side and a large bookshelf.
The building would have been finished much earlier, but the work was delayed for two months because of a shortage of cement that affected the whole of Cameroon.
We received four parcels of books, about thirty books in total, from Balfour Junior School, who raised the money by selling fair trade bananas as part of the year six fair trade project. These books include novels by African writers, dictionaries, Atlases and books looking the problems surrounding HIV in Africa. We were also able to put in a new photocopier as my parents donated the money to buy this. The photocopier will be very useful as students will be able to copy pages that they need to do homework.
The library committee is now going to raise money from local elites to provide textbooks for the library. The development committee of Lara (an organisation set up by the chief to undertake projects in the village) will also provide some money to buy books.
The library committee will oversee the librarian and organise regular audits of the books, as well as deciding what new books to buy each year with the part of the school budget that is dedicated to the library.
Having a library in the school will improve the chances of all students going to the Lycee especially for those who come from very poor backgrounds. Everyone at the school and in the community gives their thanks to Hazels Footprints and to those who raised the money. It will make a big and lasting difference.
