At the Kabirirsang community library, the young, middle-aged, and the old get to interact in an amiable environment where they share knowledge.
The community library’s construction idea was initiated in 2019 through community participation and constructed using locally available materials to empower the community by eradicating illiteracy and promoting the local and native languages.
Due to its long distance from the Kenya National Library Kapsabet branch, Nandi County, community members came up with the library, which serves 8 secondary schools and 10 primary schools in its proximity.
According to Gideon Kitur, chairperson of Kabirirsang community library, they envision the library being amongst the best libraries in the region and the country.
“National library is very far from this place, close to 20 kilometres. Therefore, we saw the need to have our community library in Kabirirsang. We are very happy with the progress,” said Kitur.
The library has a volunteer who coordinates all activities therein.
Over 3500 residents benefit from the library as they visit the facility to learn by perusing learning materials at Kabirirsang community library.
“There is an influx of learners visiting the facility from time to time, and the library has since grown in terms of the learners’ attendance,” he said.
The Kenya National Library Services (KNLS) was founded in 1965 by an Act of the Parliament of Kenya, opening its doors to the public in 1969. It is headquartered in Nairobi.
Currently, 64 branch libraries have been established in thirty-three counties, twenty-one of them being based at the county headquarters.
Within its catalogs are Books, periodicals, encyclopedias, newspapers, journals, magazines, Braille materials, audiobooks, audio navigators for the blind, charts, maps and e-resources. The total book count is 1.4 million.
Challenges
Kitur says they have a small space for the learners in the facility, which becomes very hard when the number of learners visiting the facility increases.
He asked the government to chip in and help them construct a bigger community library to accommodate the learners.
“We have a shortage of infrastructures that may accommodate all the learners and we are asking the government and any other partner who is willing to join us in transforming the library into a very big project,” he revealed.
He also added that they lack sufficient books, which are very important resources in the center, urging well-wishers to contribute books to equip the facility further.
Boosting culture
Kitur revealed plans to invite elders from the community to foster learning at the library by passing information to the next generation and, at the same time, acquaint the children and society with the diverse culture of the area, which has since been extinct.
“We want our children to remain on hold of the culture, and this will be realized when we give opportunity to our young children to learn from the elders and culture experts from the community,” argued Kitur.
He said that the library needs to be facelifted and a story building be established for ease of access and increment of the space to accommodate all the learners and the people who will be visiting to study there.
He said they are open to partnerships with different stakeholders in the education sector, including the national and county governments.
Testimonials
Sheilah Chepkoech, a Grade Six learner from Kabirirsang primary school, was at the library when we met her.
She said they have been visiting the library twice a week to learn about different issues, including learning about their native language.
She said they have been able to be taught life skills and how they can be able to undergo the chores at home.
Another learner Bravin Kipchumba says they have been taught about the native language and how they will be able to communicate with family members, citing that at some point they have experienced language barriers within the community and family members.
“I am coming here to learn about the native language where in most cases when we are at home we mingle with other children in the villages and we cannot be in a position to talk native language as in most cases children come from different communities,” said Kipchumba.
Daniel Yaem, one of the members of the community, said most of the young generation need to learn their roots.
They need to be taught the origin of some words and culture, which the community had gone through in the quest for the child’s development.
“I am sincerely appealing to the well-wishers to come together so that a modern library can be established in this area. The education and culture in our children will be fostered adversely,” said Yaem.
Yaem argued that children used to spend time with the elders in the community, hence understanding the local and native language and culture.
But things have changed as most current children are in school, and parents cannot have much time with their children due to their job’s tight schedules.
The initiative to start a library was to foster education in this county and promote culture through the learning engagements by the elders to the young learning students in the schools around the area.
“We need to reclaim ourselves to teach our children our native languages since it is essential, helps children to grow, and eases communication,” added Yaem.
Once it is facelifted, the library will act as a heritage center where the old artifacts will be kept in the community.
He said they will be having the artifact at the library so that they can be able to be in the know of what had been happening in the community.
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“As parents, we don’t care anymore about letting our children know their native language. Sheng is a menace,” he added.
“You know there are very many people who went through informal education in the country and this will be a very resourceful center to the community where knowledge will be tapped in and exchanged,” noted Yaem.
