Darryn Turns Swazi: First Library Opening Ceremony

June 15, 2011
6:35pm

Since the books arrived into the communities, many teachers and students have been working very hard to get them ready to be shelved. All three schools in my community have been doing the same. Every week I dedicate one day to each school where they can use and abuse me. At the end of each session we collaborate and discuss what needs to be done by the following week’s visit. The three schools have been setting a different pace, but I am so very happy to report that the work IS getting done!

Makhava Primary has taken the lead in efficiency and dedication. Every week I would return to find our week’s goals and much more completed! On Tuesday I was planning on going to the school to assist in classroom tours of the new library. Before then, each teacher was responsible for teaching their students the basic parts of a book, the difference between fiction and non-fiction, and how to best handle and take care of books. These topics were all reviewed in a small teacher training the previous week.

When I arrived to the school I found the teachers a little more dressed up than usual. I was told that the teacher/librarian, who had worked so hard to get the library to this point, was putting the finishing touches onto the Program. What Program?! During the previous week they had done all the teachings and tours and decided to have an official Library Opening Ceremony! I was number 8 to speak on the program, and everything was getting started in about 20 minutes!

All of the students were asked to bring their classroom chairs out into the open area used for assemblies. A hodge podge of “nicer” chairs were lined along the buildings veranda for the VIPs, which is where they told me I needed to sit. The people in attendance were the students, teachers, the head and deputy head teachers, a pastor, three community members that sit on the school committee, and me. Every person who spoke, from the pastor to the librarian to a former student now committee member, thanked me for the library. It quickly turned into a praise Zodwa hour, which made me very uncomfortable. Other organizations and volunteers have brought books to schools just to find them a year later still in the boxes! I am very grateful to have a school that is willing to put in the effort and time to create a library, not just hoard books. It was THEIR hard work, and THEIR commitment to the project, and THEIR cooperation that made the library successful. This is exactly what I told them when it was my turn to speak.

Actually, after giving the necessary and culturally expected greetings to those assembled, I opened with a section of a speech I gave at my own 8th grade graduation ceremony. About how my grandfather would say that, “Education is the building blocks of your future”, thus every book they read and every test they study for will create stronger and stronger cement blocks for their future. Then I told them that it was their work that created the library, and they all were a blessing in my life (the pastor had previously given a sermon on blessings). I had received a 2011 planner from Macmillan during sorting, and I had given it to the librarian earlier that morning for all of her hard work. She gave it back to me and asked me to give it to her during the event in front of everyone! Then she acted shocked when I called her up and gave it to her!! Ha ha. As always, a prayer and a song closed the assembly just as it had opened it.

The librarian then gave the guests a tour of the new library and the head teacher asked if they could break one of the library’s rules and eat at the tables inside. After looking to me for advice, the librarian consented. A feast of chicken, rice, beet root, coleslaw, and Fanta were then served to us by the teachers. I was not allowed to take my plate in the kitchen where I happened to be standing, but instead had to go to the library and have it delivered to me. After a delicious meal the guests left but the party had only just begun. The teachers did not wish to teach their final classes for the day so they had a dance party! It was fun to celebrate with them, instead of being an honored guest.

I look forward to the completion of the other two schools’ libraries as well. Although, I hope their celebrations are after I’m up in Mbabane. :-)

**One teacher asked for my camera at the beginning of the event and appointed himself photographer.

A before shot of the library. Taken December 2010.

Working with the awesome teachers at Makhava to get the books processed. Look in the back of the photo at the student "working" on the library. The students were soooo excited for the library to open!