Sweden Gives $Im For Books

THE Swedish Government has set aside US$1m for an East African book development project and Kampala is to host the headquarters of the project, the East African Book Development Association (EABDA) has announced, writes A. G. Musamali. The project will involve publication of numerous books which will be supplied to schools in the region. EABDA's first executive secretary will be Ruth Makotsi, a Kenyan. Henry Chakava, the EABDA chairman, on Friday said the money would be disbursed from this year till 2003 to country chapters of the association. He was speaking at the close of an EABDA regional workshop and the hand-over of the first disbursment of US$27,850 to each country chapter. The ceremony was held at the Mosa Apartments in Kampala. The objective of the association is to promote co-operation among the the regional book sector stakeholders. "The Swedish International Development Agency will support the project through an increased funding programme to the tune of US$1m," Chakava, a Tanzanian, said. Uganda's share of the initial disbursement was received by the chairman and chief executive of Fountain Publishers, James Tumusiime. Tumusiime is also the chairman of the National Book Trust of Uganda, which is the country's EADBA chapter. Chakava said EADBA had been active over the last three years. He said the first disbursement would help to set the country programmes in motion. Tumusiime said over the last three years there had been a spirit of voluntarism which had attracted this funding. Ends