One of our Adopted public school Library is MANILI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in Lutayan Sultan Kudarat which has 418 students . The school has no functional library but simply a room that also serves as a stock room and a teacher cafeteria. The room has only 2 shelves that serves as a divider . The other side of the room is the Grade 1 classroom.
(this is the old library)
Last July 18 , 2007 HAKBANG met with the school officials and parents to discuss the need for working together if we want to achieved our goal. We brought books courtesy of Janet, a fellow volunteer and Loreto and Rolly Dimaandal from the US and Dr. Greg Bowden , an american educator.
Excited over a chance to avail of assistance from HAKBANG, Art , the School Head gathered his teachers and parents to start working on the library. We were surprised to see its transformation. the new library now shared a space in his office. The shelves were now painted in different bright colors. we were told that the children are so excited that they would frequently visit the library and read.
(the transformation! )
The library is still temporary until it will be relocated back to its original room. The school is waiting for a small budget from the Dept. of Education so they can begin the repair of the place.
Part of our commitment to the transformation of the library is to provide a hands on training to the teacher in charge. Our volunteer Fe Diaz, the Director of the Libraries and Educational media center of NDMU, provided free library training so the library can be efficiently run. We also donated an accession book to be used whenever new materials would come in.
(sharing our resources. free library training and working with our partner organization FitMart mall who donated trash cans to the school)
Right now, books are still needed to fill up the empty space. We are still waiting for books donated by friends in the US. We know that we will have a long journey ahead of us but with a smile we know WE ONLY JUST BEGAN.
STEP UP!!!! 