PELIU International Literacy Day Highlights 2022

On 8.09.2022 PeerLink Initiative Uganda (PELI-U) – Nyarushanje Community Library and Empowerment Center joined the rest of the world to celebrate International Literacy Day. As an organization that promotes literacy through community based libraries PELI-U acknowledges the importance of literacy in the development of an individual and the community and as a component of the UN’s programme for achieving sustainable development

The Theme for International Literacy Day 2022: Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces

The celebrations were held at PeerLink Initiative Uganda field office in Ibanda Parish, Nyarushanje Subcounty, Rukungiri District on 8.09.2022. The event brought together pupils, teachers and parents from 9 primary schools (7 governments, 2 private) and Headteachers from 25 primary schools. A total of 314 participants attended the event (183 children/pupils and 131 adults).

Key activities for the day included a library tour where guests were taken through the cultural library, the children’s library, the household reading sessions and community based library activities.

The pupils from the 9 primary schools participated in reading aloud, spelling competition and act it out. The parents and guardians participated in Runyankore Rukiga spelling competition.

Musyana primary school emerged as the overall winners while Nyarushanje Upper primary school were the runners up.

The Chief guest was the Principal Inspector of Schools Rukungiri District. Other distinguished guests included the District Community Development Officer (DCDO) Rukungiri District the Inspector of Schools Rukungiri District, Nyarushanje Subcounty Senior Assistant Secretary,  OC Police and OC Prisons Nyarushanje Subcounty.   

PeerLink Initiative Uganda (PELI-U) team shared the benefits of reading, encouraged children to read, urged parents’ /care takers to support children to read at home by creating reading space, participating in the children’s reading activities, buying books for children and taking children to the nearest community library to read and borrow books.

The team also urged all those present to do all they can to revive a reading culture in schools, in homes and in communities and called upon all Headteachers, School Management Committees to ensure that the library hour on the school schedule is implemented and that schools prioritize literacy.

The team called upon Subcounty Chiefs / Community Development Officers to support the setting up of community based libraries in every Subcounty. They called upon out of school youth and community members to utilize the community library as a literacy learning space and continue learning.