Safaricom donates Kshs 500,000 to Hatua Likoni Library

Yesterday Gabrielle Fondiller, Co-founder of Hatua Likoni received a Kshs 500,000 cheque from the Safaricom Foundation, to develop the Likoni Community Library.

Gabrielle (left) receives cheque from Safaricom manager in Mombasa Madam Sayda

The Likoni Community Library is the first library in Likoni. Likoni is located on the mainland of Mombasa, south of the city center, and is accessible from town only by ferry. It is mostly residential, with a population of 160,000 people and still growing rapidly. It is the poorest area of Mombasa.

Likoni library construction started in 2006. This was after educators, parents, government and the whole community agreed that the poor performance of students in Likoni is due to the challenges that students face when they try to study at home. Most families live in a single and overcrowded room. According to Hatua's research, 27% of homes also lack electricity, studying in such an environment is difficult.

The building was completed in 2009 and put under the direction of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, but a year and a half after construction, still had not been equipped with shelves, tables, chairs and all the other essentials to make it a library.

This is when Hatua Likoni decided to solicit funds to equip the library, and through support from prominent local citizens and businesses, including Post Bank and Cooperative Bank, international donations from SDL Foundation, a UK-based corporate foundation, American Friends of Kenya, a US-based charitable organization, KNLS and the East Side Community High School in New York City. The library was officially opened in February 2011.

Yesterday, Safaricom donated Kshs 500,000 to help fund curriculum based books and additional shelves. This is after two Hatua interns who were attached on the department of library development, Ndesi Hameed and Juma Mwanyiru, wrote a proposal to the Safaricom Foundation. The proposal described why Hatua library needed the funding from Safaricom.

Finally, Safaricom accepted to help the Likoni community improve its library and gave a donation of Ksh 500,000. The Hatua family is grateful towards Safaricom and all other companies that take the initiative of giving to the community.

"Thanks to all our well wishers, we believe with your continued support, Hatua will continue to achieve its mission and vision." Said Gabrielle, Co-founder of Hatua. "Asante sana Safaricom," She added.