More books to the Solomon Islands
Following the success of our 2003-04 collaboration with the Rotary Club of Brisbane Planetarium and Australian children's publishers (see original story at the bottom of this page, and update below) to send books to libraries across the Solomon Islands, in 2006 we did it all over again!
In May 2006, another 5000 donated books from eight publishers left Brisbane for the Solomon Islands, where they were distributed to libraries throughout the Solomon Islands by members of the Rotary Club of Honiara. Read our media release.
The two shipments of books mean more than 10,000 books have reached children in the Solomon Islands.
October 2005 update
Col Beardmore, a member of the Rotary Club of Brisbane Planetarium, visited the Solomon Islands and saw first hand the happiness of some schoold children whose libraries received books.
Students at one of the best-equipped primary schools in the Solomon Islands. After receiving books from Australia, one student declared the school to be "book heaven". (Photo courtesy Col Beardmore.)
Students on Babanga Island talk to Mrs Beardmore. (Photo courtesy Col Beardmore.)
Rotary is rebuilding the school in the village in which these children live. Once complete, the school will need books! (Photo courtesy Col Beardmore.)
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Sending 5,000 books to libraries throughout the Solomon Islands
Loading books for the Solomons ... Rotary Club Brisbane
Planetarium members Leigh Moody, Errol Richardson, Col Beardmore
and Clive Corke, with author and War Child Australia Chair
Nick Earls. (Photo courtesy Quest Newspapers.)
War Child Australia together with the Rotary Club of Brisbane Planetarium and
14 Australian children's book publishers are sending over 5,000 books to libraries
throughout the Solomon Islands.
Author Nick Earls, Chair of War Child Australia, is grateful for the generosity
of the Australian publishers who have donated the books, which will be used as
education tools for Solomon Islands' children.
"This year, War Child Australia has been supporting field work in Afghanistan,
Iraq and Congo, and the opportunity to team up with Rotary and Australia's children's
publishers has enabled us to do something closer to home," said Nick.
"We really appreciate the support of Australia's children's publishers -
their generous donation of these books is simply turning a good idea into a major
project," he said.
Laura Harris from Penguin Books is coordinating the publishing end of the War
Child-Rotary Solomon Islands children's book project.
"The work that War Child does in the field throughout the world is inspiring
and to be able to assist a community so close to our own shores, where instability
has significantly impacted children's literacy and education, is a cause worthy
of our attention," Laura said.
Continuing its association with War Child Australia, Melbourne-based software
consultancy Sound Logic has contributed funds for a set of Encyclopaedia Britannica
reference books to be donated to the National Library in Honiara. The reference
books include a 26 volume set of Compton's encyclopaedia, a 13 volume set of My
First Britannica and a Concise Encyclopaedia.
Earlier this year, Sound Logic also provided financial support for a project to
provide books for child care centres in Afghanistan.
"We tend to take access to books and educational resources for granted,"
says Sound Logic Principal, Dave Sanders, "but many children in the Solomon
Islands are not as lucky as those in Australia, particularly since the recent
conflict, and more recently since Cyclone Namu."
The books will be transported from Brisbane to the Solomon Islands through Rotary's
'Donations in Kind' program, then distributed to school libraries in communities
throughout the Solomon Islands by the Rotary Club of Honiara.
The Rotary 'Donations in Kind' project is one of many undertaken by Rotary Australia
World Community Service (RAWCS) and coordinates the dispatch and delivery of items
that are needed in the developing world.
"The 'Donations in Kind' program is supported by Rotary Clubs throughout
Australia and primarily provides items such as books, school supplies and hospital
supplies to countries that do not have these things that we take for granted in
Australia" said Clive Cooke, President of Rotary Brisbane Planetarium.
"It is wonderful that Australian book publishers, War Child and Sound Logic
have joined forces for this project because these books will provide hours of
enjoyment for many children - hopefully making a small but significant difference
in their lives," he said.
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