Welcome to the Malindza Refugee Camp Library Blog. The purpose of this blog is to keep you updated with what is happening at the Malindza Refugee Camp Library and all associated fund raising activities.
History:
The Malindza Refugee Camp is home to approximately 400 refugees from Somalia, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC and Mozambique who fled their homes due to war, genocide and political unrest. Many have fled to Swaziland from South Africa due to Xenophobic attacks against refugees from 2008-onward.
The library at the camp is now housed in what used to be a row of derelict buildings. Thanks to help from the residents of the camp, Peace Corps Volunteers Ryan and Adelyn Hall, private donations, a grant from the U.S Government and cash and in-kind assistance from UNHCR, CARITAS and Swaziland's Department of Home Affairs, that block of buildings have been completely renovated and now house a library and two pre-schools.
The books in the library were procured by a Peace Corps grant and were donated by
Books for Africa. The books range from fiction to non-fiction, adult to children's, self-help to reference. The library also contains a teacher's resource library, a computer and holds english language classes. The library is run by volunteer librarian Jean Bosco Birigimana and assistant librarian Muhamud Shukri. Both librarians are volunteers and have been trained by the National Library Association of Swaziland and Peace Corps Volunteers.
These two men agreed to run the library without expectation of financial compensation. While these men do an incredible job we believe that to ensure the longevity of the library, there needs to be some sort of financial incentive for these men to continue working at the library.
Cause:
This is where you come in.
Heligator Records was formed by Ryan Hall shortly after he returned from the Peace Corps as a forum to share new music digitally. Heligator Records releases monthly singles by artists ranging from a variety of disciplines. Each track is set a minimum of 1$. However, there is no cap on how much you can pay for the track. Every dollar spent on a Heligator release goes back to the refugees via the Malindza Refugee Camp Library Fund and will be used for maintenance and repairs to the library and some financial compensation to the volunteer librarians.
In order to keep transparency. This blog will publish a monthly budget tracking donations and expenses incurred by the library.
Due to a generous exchange rate of 1>10 your dollars go far.
Great music. Great cause. Win-win.
Ryan Hall, RPCV
