Friends of Kabondo is a Swedish non-profit association with the aim of conducting development projects in the village of Kabondo in western Kenya. The association’s goal is ”that the projects we start in the long run will become self-sustaining and that Kabondo will become a better place to live under a whole life.”
Western Kenya is one of the poorest areas in the country, where HIV / AIDS has claimed the most victims and a large part of the parent generation has died. The association works long-term to improve the social and economic conditions for the inhabitants, including the orphaned children in the village. The association also supports students when they finish school after year 8.
Bokhjälpen supports the library operations in Kabondo by paying for the purchase of bookcases. Some books are in Swahili.
Friends of Kabondo has received funding from Forum Syd for 2020 to start a project together with its partner in Kenya, the association Karopa, whose goal is to increase the villagers’ knowledge of how to jointly agree on what changes they want to implement in the village. And then convey their wishes to those in power. The contribution from Forum Syd does not include books or libraries.
The association also recieves att grant from The Book Aid for a village library. It will be placed in a container where the self-help group has its office – a natural meeting point in the village.
They will start with two bookcases and invest in easy-to-read fiction in English for young people as well as lighter fact books about e.g. body and bud/soul/ emotions, the earth, the climate, plants, cultivation, vehicles, sports, the countries of the world and about important inventions and discoveries.
More information:
https://www.friendsofkabondo.se/
Motivation: Activities are in line with The Book Aid’s purpose of assisting children and adults in poor areas with books and stimulating reading among the weakest sections of society by supporting library activities.