The MASH FOUNDATION community resource centre and library
The MASH Foundation resource center is located at Mutalia in Joska, Machakos county. It’s the only community library in a radius of 50 kilometers around Joska and was opened on the 12th of April 2016. The MASH foundation library and resource center seeks to help children to develop early literacy skills, as well as increase their vocabulary and comprehension skills. Over the years, children that read books at the center for pleasure perform better in school.
Due to limited resources and infrastructure, most schools in the Joska have no libraries, thus The MASH Foundation community library offers children and youth free access to read a variety of books, free art classes, free ICT classes, free counselling and free mentorship.
How to support The MASH Foundation community resource center and library:
We welcome book drives and donate to the library
Donate 3 dollars and help us purchase a story books for the community library.
Donate 4 dollars to help purchase pencils, crayons or water colors and papers for free art class
Donate 5 dollars to help purchase a revision book for the community library
Donate 20 to purchase as study seat for a child in the library.
Donate 9 dollars to pay the electricity and water bill per month at the community library.
Donate 40 Dollars to purchase a study table ( 4 by 4 feet in size )to be used by four children in the library.
Donate 100 Dollars to help pay the librarian per month – the Librarian helps keep records of books, cleans, repairs torn books and attends to children using the library. The librarian also facilitates mentorship, health and academic talks to over 400 pupils in both primary and secondary School in Joska during week days, as well as helping children in the ICT and art classes.
THE MASH SCHOOL LIBRARIES
The new curriculum mandates all Schools to have a library and pupils to read story books during reading time set in their daily timetable. due to poverty and poor economy most Schools and families have no money to purchase books thus pupils miss out on opportunity to read books.
Why we started community library and School libraries ?
For these reason The MSH Foundation started a community library and school libraries so children can assess reading books and literature for free. By pupils reading these books they develop their comprehension and reading skills as well as develop creative wiring that helps them in writing good composition and gaining confidence to speak in English and Swahili too.
For these reason The MASH Foundation started off school libraries in Four Primary Schools ie St Francis on Assis primary School, Gaichanjiru primary School , St Angela’s primary School and Machaegecha primary School. We have kick started a new library in St Mary Githegi Secondary. Schools are given 100-200 books at beginning of the term and after every three month ( Per term) the books are changed.
Impact
These School libraries reach over 2000 pupils on daily basis and our target is to ensure pupils get fresh lot of story books every term. These Schools have a population of over 400 pupils thus creating a need to increase number of books donated per School from 200 to 500 per school and we cant do this wit out all our friends and partners help in gathering more books.
Our aim in our book drives calls
We aim to increase from 200 books to over 500 books per School with financial support from friends or donation of books to meet the high demand for books and high number of pupils in the Schools. We also intend to raise resources to help in meeting logistic of doing change of over of books every three months. We seek to fundraise to help remunerating librarian at the MASH Foundation community library. We also welcome donation of furniture for pupils to sit on when in the library, laptops to be used in the free ICT classes and art materials to be used in the free art classes.
Benefits of developing a reading culture in children, youth and community in Joska.
- Improves the brain through mental stimulation.
- Increases ability to empathize with other people.
- Aids readers in sleep readiness.
- Reduces stress.
- Lowers blood pressure and heart rate.
- Fights symptoms of depression.
- Prevents cognitive decline as reader’s age.
- Reduces stress.
- Enhances knowledge.
- Improves memory.
- Develops stronger analytical thinking skills.
- Improves focus and concentration.
- Develops better writing skills.
Friend of the MASH that have donnated books and helped in our book drives. Our Heroes
Hamish Jackson, Emily McDowell , Katharine Hoare, Tomek Manbearsheep McClintock, Susan, Jianchen Fu, Susan Cullen, Chris Graham, Xuan Chen, Sean Malcom, Irene Christofidou, Ed Shryane, William Newton, Charlotte Lydia, Jianchen Fu, Gary Thompson and many more friends.
local friends
Moran publishers, Kenya National library, Sonal, Mr and Mrs Zhangi, Mrs and Miss Pauline, Mrs and Mrs Benjamin