Management of the Impumelelo Community Library in Zenzele whose facility was vandalised recently are asking the public to help restore the centre.
In an exclusive interview with the Herald Fikile Sondela, founder of the Impumelelo Wings NGO through which she established the library in October 2017 said she was disappointed that a facility meant to empower children of Zenzele with information and reading was being targeted constantly.
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“The main purpose of this facility was to improve literacy among rural learners who had ambition to broaden their horizons and lead a better life – with hopes that one day they’ll eradicate poverty through education,” Fikile said.
She added that she’s frustrated as it had now been targeted for the third time. It was also vandalised during the 2020 hard lockdown, and in the recent incident items such as plugs, door handles and shelves were stolen, while more than 300 books were destroyed.
I remain heartbroken because this is a huge setback to those who were benefiting from the library; I mean the school work of most of them had improved because of this library,” Fikile said.
She added that the centre had helped learners to complete their Grade 12, some of whom had even volunteered to come back to offer tutorials for those still in school.
“We’re asking those who can to help with donations, a two-room shack that we’ll use for storage, plugs and a sanitary toilet, and possibility get a shack so that there can always be a guard on site,” Fikile said.
Among the other things the facility needs are educational toys, soccer balls, Lego blocks, hula-hoops, shelves, chairs, door handles, windows and books.
We appeal to any security company that can help with alarm systems; and to those who can assist with a fence or a palisade, more containers and funds,” Fikile said.
She’s adamant about starting the library for the children in Zenzele so that they do not need to travel far to get the information they need.
“I want to break the vicious cycle of poverty and create the culture of using information to empower oneself, because I’ve always believed children have the right to information, and a library should not be a luxury.
Information is a problem-solver and should be available to all. Although poverty is a barrier, it can be overcome. Books are the biggest sources of information that could be used to change lives for the better,” Fikile added.
