Speaking on behalf of Bedfordview Inner Wheel, Ms Jean Allan said that since Inner Wheel became involved in 2010, about 20 000 learners’ lives have been enriched.
She said that the project started at Bertrams Junior School in 2010.
“The school shares a birthday with former president Nelson Mandela and, as a result, was adopted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation – now the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory. When Inner Wheel organised the opening ceremony for the new library at the school, the Centre of Memory was on the guest list, along with representatives of Breadline Africa,” she said.
She added it was at this event where the two organisations formed a partnership to build similar school libraries in all nine provinces of the country, every year on Mandela Day.
“This year, Bedfordview Inner Wheel was invited to attend a celebration which brought together all the companies which have subsequently sponsored more libraries. This included publishers and booksellers, who donated books, architects and engineers, who helped design the libraries and the non–profit organisations which helped to make the libraries functional and well used. The Rotarians Book Project at the Humanitarian Centre in Bedfordview, was praised for its role in providing reading material to those in need,” she said.
Since the project started, 27 libraries have been opened across the country. She added that with more people coming on board, more libraries will be built.
“This project deserves the support of us all, if we want to make a difference for the children of the future. This is possible if those involved in service organisations, non-profit organisations and the corporate world can continue to assist with the donation of containers, reading material and the training of librarians,” she said.
