By Kelley Lach, Education Committee Member and Former Summer Volunteer

Oftentimes, when you hear about education and classrooms in developing countries, you hear about the overcrowded classrooms, limited supplies, and outdated resources.

You don’t hear about the pure excitement on a student’s face when presented with a library book to read.

You don’t hear about the huge smile that spreads across students’ faces when their teacher reads a story out loud to the class.

You don’t hear about the cheering and clapping from students when a brand new library has been built at their school.

The libraries built by The Literate Earth Project have created moments such as these, as well as countless others.

Prior to the formation of The Literate Earth Project, libraries were nonexistent in Uganda, and library books were not available for students or teachers. The Literate Earth Project provides books, shelves, and full libraries for schools throughout Uganda. These books and the content within provide not only educational substance, but also an excitement towards reading.

My Experience in Uganda

I had the opportunity to work in Uganda for The Literate Earth Project for nine weeks in 2019. I worked closely with the students, teachers, librarians, and community members of four primary schools. I was lucky to witness firsthand the impact that these books and libraries have on the students and school environment - the pure delight on a child’s face when opening a new book, bellowing laughter coming from a classroom as the teacher reads a silly story, and even the look of total concentration as a child is completely immersed in the plot of a book.

A love of reading fosters a love of learning. The books and libraries provided by The Literate Earth Project aid in the growth, learning, and education of thousands of students across Uganda.

About Us
The Literate Earth Project has made significant progress on our path toward improving literacy within Uganda. Thanks to the hard work from teachers and schools, we can help every child learn, grow, and thrive. We are also excited to announce we are set to open our 17th library in the fall/winter of 2020.

That said, we still have so much further still to go in making an impact on the lives of Ugandan children. Join us on our mission to create lasting change- please reach out to get involved or donate today!