The Lubuto Library Project

The Lubuto Library Project is a contributing editor on our Obama in Africa book project.
See Lubuto's website, their flickr page or some page layouts on the book editor's photostream.
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The Lubuto Library Project, Inc.—based in Washington, DC - is a nonprofit organization that provides libraries for street kids, orphans and other vulnerable African children.

The mission: To provide beautiful and enriching safe havens for street kids, orphans and other vulnerable children in Africa, beginning in the country of Zambia. Lubuto Libraries give African street kids a safe haven and a great collection of books and art, drama & AIDS prevention programs. The beautiful buildings and the role they play in the community helps to re-connect orphans and vulnerable children with their culture and society. In the U.S. we work to inform students of the impact of HIV/AIDS on African youth Our libraries begin with a collection of 5,000 excellent donated books, chosen and organized with care in the U.S. by librarians and student volunteers. Lubuto has developed a custom classification scheme and targeted guidelines for selecting the books that make up each library. Lubuto library buildings are beautiful examples of local architecture, built to last so that they can continue to serve youth in need for years to come. After a collection of books is sent to Africa, books in local languages are added to create an even more robust selection for local children. Patrons and specially trained library staff and volunteers at the library site also organize educational and cultural programs to give the children who use our libraries every chance to flourish and to contribute to their community. Other groups are helping to meet basic needs like food and shelter, and governments are struggling to provide more schooling, but only the Lubuto Library Project specifically targets and reaches vulnerable children who are not in schools, providing them with rich educational opportunities. We fill a major gap, helping at-risk populations in Africa just as public libraries have done for immigrant groups in the United States for over a century.

Jackson paints Barack Obama

In March 2010, participants in the Lubuto Library Visual Arts Program, led by David Shampwali, made paintings inspired by Bryan Collier's award-winning illustrations in the picture book Martin's Big Words, which tells the story of the life of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. through his words and messages. Bryan Collier also illustrated a book about Barack Obama, which Jackson is using here as his inspiration.

Our top priority is to bring hope and education to the child who is alone in the world. Lubuto Libraries are safe and special places where children can read for themselves, look at books or have books read to them. The book collections are geared to all ages, interests and reading ability. The books are in English and local African languages. Books can provide information on practical skills or health and safety issues. They can offer a look into the world, its history and cultures. They can help inspire and transform these children by taking them out of their difficult lives and introducing them to new worlds and possibilities outside of their environment. Lubuto Libraries will also offer storytelling, writing, art, music and drama, as well as companionship with other children and help from adults.

Source: The Facebook page of the Lubuto Library Project