The joy of a child discovering the world through the pages of a book is something priceless. Yet, for many children in Soroti, Uganda, books are a rare treasure, something they hear about but often cannot access. This is why the ongoing book collection campaign being organized in the Netherlands means so much to us.
In partnership with Zula Kids and the Voorschoten & Wassenaar Library, a book drive was launched on 1 September to gather children’s and youth books for Temple Talents Centre. The campaign has already received an overwhelming response, with families and community members donating generously. Every book that comes in is a step closer to creating small libraries of hope for our children back home.
The collection campaign runs until 1 October, culminating in a ceremonial handover of the books on that day at 14:00 hrs at the library in Voorschoten. From there, the books will be prepared for their journey to Soroti, Uganda, where they will find a new home in the hands of eager young readers.
But this effort is not just about books. It is about possibilities. A donated book does more than tell a story. It sparks imagination, builds confidence, and opens doors to worlds children may have never seen before. In Soroti, where resources are scarce and many families cannot afford learning materials, each book becomes a seed of opportunity, helping children dream bigger and believe in themselves.
Here in Soroti City, we are also running a local book collection drive. We are calling on our community, schools, partners, and well-wishers to join in this movement. Donations of English books, storybooks, and study materials can be dropped off at our offices in Senior Quarters, West Division, as well as at collection points in the Soroti City Council offices and the Main Market.
Our hope is to nurture a generation that reads. So, to us, this campaign is not just about gathering books. It is about building a culture of reading, creating safe spaces for children to learn, and ensuring that no child feels left behind because they lacked access to a book. Find more information on the library’s website
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone in the Netherlands who has already contributed, and to our local community in Soroti for embracing this cause. Together, across continents, we are proving that it takes a village to raise a child, and sometimes that village stretches across oceans.
