International Literacy Day
International Literacy Day 2015
BOOK POWER !
VIDEO: My World Opened Up When I Learned to Read
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International Literacy Day 2014
Reading for Life: Oprah Winfrey
“Books were my path to personal freedom,” Winfrey has said. “I learned to read at age 3 and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi.” She credits her father with understanding the value of education: “Because of his respect for education and my stepmother’s respect for education, every single week of my life that I lived with them I had to read library books and that was the beginning of the book club. Who knew? But I was reading books and had to do book reports in my own house. Now, at 9 years old, nobody wants to have to do book reports in addition to what the school is asking you to do, but my father’s insistence that education was the open door to freedom is what allows me to stand here today a free woman.” |
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Chez Alpha Books is excited to present a story hour program today. We will be reading the book My Heart Will Not Sit Down by Mara Rockliff. This is a wonderful book that shows you don’t have to be rich to make a difference in the lives of other people and also how important to teach our children to be compassionate to others.
This book is inspired by a true story. In 1931, a village in Cameroon donated $3.77 to the city of New York to help feed then hungry during the Great Depression.
Our main character is Kedi, a girl who learns from her American teacher that people in his hometown of New York City were going hungry due to the Depression.
Kedi could not stop thinking of the hungry children in America, even though they lived so far away. Her heart would not sit down until she did something. So she talked with the grownups in her village and all of them told her at first that nothing could be done, they had no money to spare. But then, one by one, all of the adults gave coins to help the hungry children
Throughout the book, the phrase “my heart would not sit down” is used. It evokes a yearning, a calling, an inner distress that could only be quieted by doing something to help. Perhaps this amount of money may not have made a big difference, but for the villagers who sent the funds, it was a fortune.
This book is inspired by a true story. In 1931, a village in Cameroon donated $3.77 to the city of New York to help feed then hungry during the Great Depression.
Our main character is Kedi, a girl who learns from her American teacher that people in his hometown of New York City were going hungry due to the Depression.
Kedi could not stop thinking of the hungry children in America, even though they lived so far away. Her heart would not sit down until she did something. So she talked with the grownups in her village and all of them told her at first that nothing could be done, they had no money to spare. But then, one by one, all of the adults gave coins to help the hungry children
Throughout the book, the phrase “my heart would not sit down” is used. It evokes a yearning, a calling, an inner distress that could only be quieted by doing something to help. Perhaps this amount of money may not have made a big difference, but for the villagers who sent the funds, it was a fortune.
Sharing Books with SOS Prisonniers En Detresse in Dakar, Senegal-International Literacy Day-2014
The book My Heart Will Not Sit Down teaches compassion and a sense of community. It confirms that no matter whatever economic situation we are in, we still have the ability to help others. Chez Alpha Books is excited to partner with SOS Prisonniers En Detresse in Dakar, Senegal. Because his Heart Would Not Sit Down, Mr. Papa Eric Diouf established this organization 2 years ago to provide materials to the prisoners including medicine, soap, lotion and books.
If you have English books to donate, please contact Mr. Diouf at e-mail: sosprisonniersendetressesn@hotmail.com /Twitter: @SOSprisonniers1
Of Senegalese origin, Mr. Diouf has been living and working in Senegal for the past 8 years. Mr. Diouf says he was inspired by the book: 'Message de vie du couloir de la mort' by Pierre Pradervant. This book made him aware of people in prison who are innocent of their crime and he wanted to do something to help them.
Initially he was just going to visit the prisoners and after started providing materials. He implemented these programs himself and continues to work independently. Committed to assisting the prisoners in all areas of their development, he has recently focused on rehabilitation and is implementing a program to assist them find jobs after they are released. Diouf says, “I strongly believe in prisoner’s rights and this is why I struggle. We have to fight for them.” He continued to say, “Just because their bodies are imprisoned does not mean their minds also have to be imprisoned. They have the right to an education and should be provided vocational training.”
While the majority of the prisoners are interested in French books, there is a growing audience who want to read books in English along with French speaking prisoners interested in working to improve their English. Chez Alpha donates books in English from their library loan program. He is currently working with the prison system in Dakar to implement more rehabilitation programs in all detention centers for men, women and juveniles. In addition to delivering books to prisons in Dakar, he also shares books with prisons in Koaloak, Thies, and Kedougou.
The book My Heart Will Not Sit Down teaches compassion and a sense of community. It confirms that no matter whatever economic situation we are in, we still have the ability to help others. Chez Alpha Books is excited to partner with SOS Prisonniers En Detresse in Dakar, Senegal. Because his Heart Would Not Sit Down, Mr. Papa Eric Diouf established this organization 2 years ago to provide materials to the prisoners including medicine, soap, lotion and books.
If you have English books to donate, please contact Mr. Diouf at e-mail: sosprisonniersendetressesn@hotmail.com /Twitter: @SOSprisonniers1
Of Senegalese origin, Mr. Diouf has been living and working in Senegal for the past 8 years. Mr. Diouf says he was inspired by the book: 'Message de vie du couloir de la mort' by Pierre Pradervant. This book made him aware of people in prison who are innocent of their crime and he wanted to do something to help them.
Initially he was just going to visit the prisoners and after started providing materials. He implemented these programs himself and continues to work independently. Committed to assisting the prisoners in all areas of their development, he has recently focused on rehabilitation and is implementing a program to assist them find jobs after they are released. Diouf says, “I strongly believe in prisoner’s rights and this is why I struggle. We have to fight for them.” He continued to say, “Just because their bodies are imprisoned does not mean their minds also have to be imprisoned. They have the right to an education and should be provided vocational training.”
While the majority of the prisoners are interested in French books, there is a growing audience who want to read books in English along with French speaking prisoners interested in working to improve their English. Chez Alpha donates books in English from their library loan program. He is currently working with the prison system in Dakar to implement more rehabilitation programs in all detention centers for men, women and juveniles. In addition to delivering books to prisons in Dakar, he also shares books with prisons in Koaloak, Thies, and Kedougou.
Celebrating International Literacy Day at Bethel Academy School, Dakar, Senegal-2014
