EISERVI extends open door children’s corner to Manyu

The population of Manyu recently received a consignment of books and children furniture from the Education Information Services International, EISERVI Cameroon.

The books and furniture were donated to the Manyu Wisdom Library as part of EISERVI’s Open Door Children’s Corner project aimed at promoting and improving the reading culture in children.

According to the Executive Director of EISERVI, Andrew Nyenty, by refurbishing the library, providing children’s friendly funitures, books and creating safe places in the library, EISEVI hopes to give the children the foundation necessary for meaningful adulthood.

The choice of Manyu, Nyenty said, is due to the Division’s strong academic prowess and reputation. “The Manyu people have always believed in the power of education. They have always ensured that their children are educated,” Nyenty said.

He, however, stated that most of the children graduate without being able to read or write. To him, improving the reading culture in children will need more than just sending them to school.

“They need good libraries where they can make good use of books.” he said. Nyenty stated that EISERVI will, alongside the foreign books, provide books which are written and published by Manyu authors. This, according to him, will promote local content and boost the reading spirit in the community.

On their part, the Manyu Elite supported the initiative by providing computers and a server for the Council’s Multimedia Centre that is attached to the library.

Meanwhile, a standby generator to be used in cases of power failure was donated by Senators and Members of the National Assembly.

The Open Door Children’s Corner in the Manyu Wisdom Library is the third EISERVI is launching in Cameroon after Limbe in November 2014 and Bamenda in April 2015.

The books, covering areas of study from pre-school to adolescent, academic in areas of mathematics, sciences, cookery, among others, was offered by Book Aid International, EISERVI’s major partner. Since its creation in March 2007, EISERVI has worked to empower communities and support library initiatives across Cameroon as an input to knowledge, information and skills acquisition.

The NGO, which is based in Yaounde, is currently planning to set up two more Children’s Corners in libraries in Kumba and Kumbo, while those of Mbengwi, EkondoTiti, Belo, Bafut and Tiko will be set up in 2016.