CONSERVATION | LIBRARY | UWEC

ENTEBBE - The Education and conservation library has been opened at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) in Entebbe.

This library according to Dr. James Musinguzi, the Executive Director UWEC, is to be used by both adults and children including those who flock the zoo and those in remote areas.

Children inside the Library. (Credit: Ritah Mukasa)

While speaking at its launch on Friday (September 3, 2021), Musinguzi thanked Mark Cotham, President Books for development, an organization located in Houston, Texas USA that donated the books.

In attendance were; representatives from the Chimpanzee Trust, Vision group represented by Grace Nampiima, Producer for Toto Magazine, primary and secondary school children and UWEC team.

Vision Group’s Senior Producer, Grace Nampiima engaging a child at the library. (Credit: Ritah Mukasa)

“This library completes UWEC. It’s a very great opportunity because information has been availed to the public,” he applauded.

Musinguzi added that we live in a modern age, where information is readily available on the internet and in the libraries but people don’t take advantage of it. This confirms the adage that if you want to hide something from a black person, put it in a book.

“We need to work together and collectively to change this adage by reading and utilizing the information that is around us,” he appealed.

Betty Binen, marketing and business development assistant at UWEC taking children through the books. (Credit: Ritah Mukasa)

Cotham said that instilling knowledge in children is worth more than any money in the world.

He added that with his team, they delivered 50 boxes with 10,000 books.

In the children’s section, there are books on insects, forests, rivers, maps, plants and sports. There are also reference books; encyclopedias and Books that wow which have artistic and exciting content that grabs children’s attention. They include; photicular (video) books, Moby dick and pop up books.

Cotham engages children after the library launch. (Credit: Ritah Mukasa)

Other sections have books on social sciences, education and sciences. There is also a section for women. It has books about their historical roles,  bodies and beauty. Others promote respect for women and their health.

“Opening a library is not like opening a monument or cemetery. It’s not a one-off. A library needs nurturing,” he highlighted.

He said that this library will help improve the reading culture of young people and adults.

“Books are only good when used. Parents should lead by example. If you read, your children will also read,” he advised.

Dr Musinguzi and Cotham Cut a tape to launch the library. (Credit: Ritah Mukasa)

“A good library is like a tree that spreads out its roots as it grows,” he added saying, the books will be borrowed by schools and children from remote areas as far as the islands, Karamoja and Northern Uganda.

Meanwhile, the library is open to the public at no cost.

Some of the books can be borrowed by the schools before or after they visit the zoo. This is intended to help them connect what they saw in the zoo with what is written about the different animals.

Cotham also requested teachers to encourage children to read, take care of the books and return them in good shape.