EISERVI promotes reading culture in Cameroon

By Polycarp Labah in Kumbo

Cutting the ribbon

The populations of Bui Division in general and those of the Kumbo municipality and its environs in particular were last Thursday October 8, 2015 honoured through the vision and largesse of EISERVI - Education Information Services International, an NGO with Head Office in Yaounde - Cameroon, as it launched the Kumbo Council Library Open Doors Children’s Corner with the Kumbo Council, to encourage reading and a reading culture in children and adults alike in that part of the country.
    The Lord Mayor of Kumbo Council, Njong Donatus who had the singular privilege to usher into his municipality the EISERVI high-powered delegation while cutting the symbolic ribbon saluted the NGO for including his municipality in it implantation agenda in Cameroon. He said the choice of Kumbo was highly welcome to beef up the literacy rate and make Kumbo the hub of education in the region. Mayor Njong pledged his commitment to ensure judicious exploitation and supervision of the library for greater sustainability. He used this occasion to challenge other NGOs and vote-holders to depart from rhetoric and empty speeches which have held the country hostage for years and become more proactive and practical like EISERVI.

    A press-statement to this launch issued by Andrew Nyenty, Executive Director of EISERVI states inter-alia: “The Open Doors Children’s Corner project executed in Cameroon by EISERVI is a project conceived by Book Aid International and executed across 10 countries across Africa with expectation to open 60 Children’s Corners by the year 2018. The Open Doors Children’s Corners project aims for the creation of safe spaces in libraries and communities, to support the promotion of reading and learning in children and to help them with the foundation necessary for meaningful adulthood”.
     The press-statement further expatiates that, “Book Aid International, United Kingdom, works in 11 African countries and the Occupied Palestinian Territories to distribute books and learning resources and to train librarians. The charity {Book AID International} partners with local library services and communities to provide safe, engaging spaces to access books and reading”.
     It should be recalled that EISERVI which is a major partner of Book Aid International in Cameroon, currently donates over 60.000 books and educational materials annually, for the benefit of Universities. For instance, the following Universities are already principal beneficiaries: Buea, Dschang, Ngaoundere,

Douala, Yaounde I, Bamenda, Maroua. In addition, over 44 Public and Community Libraries including the Kumbo  Council Library, schools, NGOs, orphanages and prisons have equally benefitted and are still benefitting.
     The smug Mr. Nyenty disclosed that: “Book Aid International and EISERVI have already set up four Open Doors Children’s Corners in Limbe, Bamenda, Mamfe and Kumba. The Kumbo Open Doors Children’s Corner is the fifth in Cameroon. Next year 2016 we shall work to set up 5 more Children’s Corners in libraries in Mbengwi, Ekondo Titi, Belo, Bafut and Tiko”.
    It is worthy to note that EISERVI did not only provide books to the library, the NGO equally gave this library a befitting face-lift through proper renovation works.
    The highly attended event in Kumbo was witnessed by the local administrative authorities, religious leaders, the education community, traditional authorities and the general public including school children and adults. Amid animation and working sessions by stakeholders, instant practical reading exercises also took place among curious and inquisitive library users.