Reading for Children: An initiative of Aga Khan Development Network and Serena Hotels

The growth of literacy skills contributes to our children’s overall development.  Literacy skills promotes self-confidence, behavioral uprightness, interest in schools, among other positive aspects.  High Literacy levels form the foundation for doing well at school, socializing with others, developing independence, managing money and managing relationships at work.

To help realize this goal, over the last couple of months Serena Hotels, lodges and camps have taken upon themselves to reach out to communities and schools in marginalized areas to distribute books, set up libraries and train parents together with their children how to read.

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Committee chairman Pastor Patrick Kyalo with the pupils of Mtito Andei Christian School
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Granting Children the power to read and excel.

 

Most recently, Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge visited Mtito Andei Christian Primary School, located near Kenya Pipeline Mtito Andei Branch. The team led by lodge Manager James Odenyo chose the school as it was deep in the community and in dire need of language improvement, both written and spoken.

The Kilaguni Serena team started out by training 30 parents per day for three consecutive days. The main objectives of the training process was so as to:

  1. Enlighten parents on their very important role in their children’s development
  2. help Parents acquire skills on how they can best support their children’s development
  3. Get them to enjoy reading books and story telling thus leading by example
  4. Provide an avenue for parents to bond with their children
  5. Nurture a reading culture in their children
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Kids ready for this amazing project. They were extremely joyous and promise to take the initiative to another level
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Mr Odenyo – Lodge Manager, handing over the key to the volunteer librarian Mrs Elizabeth Muthika

Apart from the training, the team was also able to set up a  mini library for the children within the community which they officially launched on 12th October 2015, appointed a librarian to help run the mini-library and formed a library committee. The team also promised to keep upgrading the library and keep it stocked with books and digital materials in the future. They are also working to put in place monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure that they are on the right path.

Moving forward, the team at Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge is hoping to set up a second community library by the end of November 2015.

 

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