COMMUNITY LIBRARIES

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Omushana has created three Community Libraries and now also funds and supervises a fourth library.  Buhoma Library opened in 2013, Ruhija Library opened in 2018 and Mgahinga Library was completed and fully opened in 2022. We started working with the Footsteps Rubuguri Library in 2018 and agreed to take the project over in 2021.  All the libraries and owned and managed by their local communities.

Thanks to everyone who has supported the creation of these amazing resources, in particular generous grants from the British Foreign Schools Society (BFSS) which enabled the creation of both Ruhija and Mgahinga Libraries.  In 2021 Omushana formed a partnership with Swiss Relief Association to jointly fund and supervise Mgahinga Community Library.

Over 5000 children, from more than 40 schools now regularly benefit from these library resources and the services of the brilliant local library staff.  As well as keeping the libraries open 6 days a week, the team of 6-8 librarians run an active outreach programme from each library.  Caroline, Speria, Patience, Leonard, Junior and Japheth are "Reading Champions" encouraging children to enjoy the books in the libraries and visiting schools daily to bring the stories to children in even more remote areas.  The team of IT librarians lead by Dennis take care of the laptop computers and provide IT tuition for primary school pupils during term time and running courses for secondary students and community members, including teachers, in the school holidays.

Our "book box" mobile library scheme ensures that story and information books are available in more than 30 schools all around the forest.  See more details on the "books" page.