Nelson Mandela famously said “When we read we are able to travel to many places, meet many people and understand the world.” He valued reading so much that years after his release from prison he found himself missing imprisonment for the time it afforded him to read and reflect.
In honour of Mandela Day this year, the Lesedi Solar Park Trust, along with some our implementing partners, spent the morning cleaning the yard of the Boichoko Library.
This library serves as a beacon within Boichoko, beyond the basic lending of books. The librarian, Edith Sibiya, is well-known as a champion of education who frequently helps children with their homework after school. The library also hosts Nal’ibali reading clubs and various community meetings.
Staff from Nal’ibali, SmartStart, SCAT, REAP and the TWCC all got stuck in picking up litter and raking the library’s yard to keep it safe and hospitable for children. Mayor and former Lesedi Solar Park Trust trustee, Hon. Helena English was also present.
“Whenever community NGOs need a space to meet, Ma Sibiya accommodates us to meet here,” explained Community Project Coordinator Patricia Sebelego. “When the room fell into disrepair, we saw it as our responsibility to help solve the problem.”
“The repair of this room was a great surprise to me,” said Ma Sibiya. “Thank you so much to the Trust for the work you’ve funded. For the sake of the kids we needed this fixed. All the organisations work together very nicely, like a team, with this library and I hope that one day when I’m not here, it’s going to continue.”