“New Youth Library in Ethiopia Makes Impossible Dream a Reality”
Leonard Kniffel, American Libraries
08/23/2010
The majority of children, in developed countries, take for granted their easy access to books, computers, and library resources. This is not the case for children in developing countries such as Ethiopia. With the help of Yohannes Gebrebeorgis and other resources the region of Tigray, located in Ethiopia, received their first library for children and youth of all ages. According to the article the library has “some 10,000 books (more are on the way), 10 computer workstations, and two e-book readers”. Also, with the help of donkey transportation, the library will be able to spread books into more remote areas of Tigray. The library has been a great investment, considering that many of the children in this region have never even owned a single book. The children of Tigray will have access to knowledge that would otherwise be unavailable to them and, in the process, the knowledge obtained in this library could fuel these children to achieve the highest level of education and occupational success that they dream of.
As a lover of books, it is hard for me to imagine growing up in a culture where I never had the opportunity to step foot in a library or own a book. Looking back, I was thankful for my books but I do believe I took for granted the easy access to such material and the vast amount of material I had at my fingertips. Access to books and libraries greatly improves a child’s developmental skills and knowledge about a variety of topics. With this in mind, developing a library in an underdeveloped country, like Tigray, is a great investment for the future of the region: its children. These children will be able to expand their minds in ways that otherwise would be impossible without the resources provided within a library (computer access, books, etc.). I believe I share the same hope as the individuals who helped build the Segenat Children and Youth Library: though these children are living in a very poor community, the access to library resources could greatly improve the future for these children, a future that otherwise may seem non-existent or pre-determined by their social status.
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