WOMEN’S LIBRARY AND RESOURCE CENTRE OPENED IN GULU CITY

The new Women’s library and resource centre. Photo by Achomo Proscovia

By Proscovia Achomo

Gulu City

The women’s library and resource centre situated in Layibi Techo, Bardege-Layibi division in Gulu City built by Thrive Gulu has been commissioned for use. The library is dedicated to vulnerable people especially women who experienced violence of all forms that impeded their chances of getting educated to improve their literacy level.

The Centre will also equip the beneficiaries or users with techniques on money management for economic empowerment, how to recognize and address domestic violence through the available reading materials for community members and will also offer psychosocial support to the victims of domestic violence.

Dora Single Alal, the Director of Thrive Gulu, a nongovernmental organization based in Gulu city said the goal behind the library and resource centre was basically to create a community space providing women with current and critical information, computer and life skills training.

“We are all aware that there is low literacy rate among women especially in the age bracket affected by the 20-year decade of LRA war, and part of the contribution that Thrive wants to make in the lives of community members as an empowerment is to help them be able to read and write,” she explained.

Alal, added that, they want women to do basics like writing their names and be able to fill bank forms if they go to the banks or to other financial institutions, if they go to attend school meetings, and also be able to assist their children with homework.

She acknowledged the fact that there are few libraries dedicated to women “in Uganda, libraries dedicated to women are not many and we felt that since we are a women led organization, we should empower women and that’s why this women’s library and resource center surfaced,” she noted.

Dora, also mentioned that the center will operate for free but after a year, basic user fees will be introduced.

Dr Kizito, a library scientist commended Thrive Gulu for their immense and valuable contribution in the community especially in the aspect of uplifting women saying, they have now introduced an alternative method of counselling for women who experience violence. He said that literacy level of Gulu City is up to 80% because most people can read and write.

Hon Patrick Lumumba Oola, the mayor for Bardege-Layibi division in Gulu City expressed his excitement saying at least something good is coming from his division “this library will help the community members get educated and add value to themselves and have more hope to rebuild themselves,” he said.

Oola also revealed that currently, Gulu city does not have a library and that the only government library that was functioning has been destroyed by strong wind and is under ministry of gender, labor and social development which they have not put any resources to rehabilitate it.

“What kind of a city do you have if the young people have nowhere to read? what kind of mental development will they have? so Thrive Gulu has rightly fitted in this gap which the local government and government as a whole have been grappling with and I thank them for this,” he remarked.

Meanwhile the Deputy Resident City Commissioner for bardege Layibi city division, Kamba Amiri called upon the different stakeholders to be considerate to women in whatever they do, “When you serve women, you serve mankind because most of the contributions in services to women replicate to the other gender, the males,” he said.

Some of the books at the library include books for counselling, materials for child rearing, books for cooking lessons, materials for legal affairs including land laws, family laws among others.

The Construction of the women’s library and resource center has costed about 600 million.