PeerLink Initiative Uganda (PELI-U) contributes to provision of quality education, works to ensure that schools and teachers Integrate ICT in teaching and learning and a reading culture is promoted in households, schools and communities.
Household Based Reading Sessions.
We focus on building a reading culture at household level through provision of reading materials, empowering parents/care takers to facilitate and participate in children’s reading activities and guide households to implement a weekly reading hour. We lobby and advocate for a supportive reading environment at household level (provision of reading space, reading tables, chairs, book shelf, buying reading materials and borrowing readers for children from nearest community based library).
School Based Reading Initiatives
- Guide schools to implement the weekly library hour.
- Provision of reading materials.
- School based reading outreaches
- Provision of library scholarship to primary school pupils
- Lobby and advocate for a supportive reading environment (inclusion of literacy promotion in school budgets and work plans, setting up school libraries/reading spaces).
- Literacy promotion sensitization and training sessions for teachers, parents, school management.
- Reading events (spelling and book review competitions).
- Radio based literacy promotion sessions
Support the setting up of Community Based Libraries
PELI-U set up Nyarushanje Community Library and Empowerment Center in 2013. This serves as a one stop center through which community members access reading space, reading materials, internet, ICT tools and equipment, skills development training, cultural, sports and recreation services. Over years PELI-U has supported the setting of 15 more community-based libraries. The idea of setting up more community rooted libraries originated from the desire to reach out to distant communities that could not easily access services offered by Nyarushanje Community Library and Empowerment Center. Community based libraries are run by a team of Community Based Volunteer Library Coordinators and are housed in spaces donated by community members.
Digital Literacy and Content Creation
PELI-U provides computer skills training to primary school teachers, integration of ICT in teaching and learning process, use of participatory learner centered methods of teaching and learning and guides them through subject content review, update and digitization.
Children Reading Activities
These include weekend reading programs for children 2-10 years Read and Play every Saturday afternoon where children read, reflect for one hour and play there after and Read and Dance every Sunday afternoon where children read, reflect for one hour and engage in dancing, oral literature session.