PeerLink Initiative Uganda (PELI-U) acknowledges the importance of Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Education in preparing children to transit from home to school and ensure that children have adequate care and support. We set up an ECD section within the community library. Through this section children aged 2-5 are exposed to play, read, dance, parent child interaction sessions and oral literature sessions. Currently the ECD activities are implemented on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Our plan is to set up fully fledged ECD units in 6 community based libraries and later on scale up ECD activities to other community libraries. Through the Early Childhood Development Unit (ECD) we organize ECD days which bring together children in the community to play, dance, sing, socialize and get guidance on hygiene and sanitation. The parents and guardians are taken through sessions of parenting skills, child care, child feeding, children rights and hygiene and sanitation.
ECD Session at Kwata Community Library
ECD session at Nyarushanje Community Library and Empowerment Center
ECD Session at Bwanga Community Library
ECD session at Kayanga Community Library
We focus on building a reading culture at household level through provision of reading materials, empowering parents/care takers to facilitate and participate in children’s reading activities and guide households to implement a weekly reading hour. We lobby and advocate for a supportive reading environment at household level (provision of reading space, reading tables, chairs, book shelf, buying reading materials and borrowing readers for children from nearest community based library).
PELI-U provides computer skills training to primary school teachers, integration of ICT in teaching and learning process, use of participatory learner centered methods of teaching and learning and guides them through subject content review, update and digitization.
PELI-U set up Nyarushanje Community Library and Empowerment Center in 2013. This serves as a one stop center through which community members access reading space, reading materials, internet, ICT tools and equipment, skills development training, cultural, sports and recreation services. Over years PELI-U has supported the setting of 30 more community-based libraries. The idea of setting up more community rooted libraries originated from the desire to reach out to distant communities that could not easily access services offered by Nyarushanje Community Library and Empowerment Center. Community based libraries are run by a team of Community Based Volunteer Library Coordinators and are housed in spaces donated by community members.
These include weekend reading programs for children 2-10 years Read and Play every Saturday afternoon where children read, reflect for one hour and play there after and Read and Dance every Sunday afternoon where children read, reflect for one hour and engage in dancing, oral literature session.
PeerLink Initiative Uganda (PELI-U)
P.O. BOX 34625,
Kampala, Uganda Kisaasi-Kyanja Road
Kanisa Zone Kikaaya Parish
