Takuu Library Project
Program Overview
The Atoll Islands, north of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, remain the most isolated and disadvantaged communities in the country. In spite of the Atoll islands being rich with an abundance of cash crops, marine products, and other resources that can stimulate social and economic activities, existing infrastructure has aged and deteriorated, along with no health infrastructure (no aid post building), services have worsened and more additional problems have surfaced due to the ongoing effects of climate change on the islands. Takuu, or Mortlock Island, is one of the atolls, and it has been hit hard by some of the most damaging effects of climate change. Takuu is located about 250 kilometers/155 miles east of Buka, the main town in Bougainville, and has a population of roughly four hundred people. Residents and school kids there have relied on a library as their community resource, but their library was devastated when a king tide swept it away. It had been a vital feature of the community since the 1960s. The community has no internet access or mobile phone service which has meant their reliance on the library is even more essential. The community has been working to re-establish its library. Its primary school was built in 1965, and the school had a standalone library building with close to 8,000 books ranging from encyclopedias, maps and atlases, fiction and nonfiction, chemistry, agriculture, science, mathematics, journals, laws, novels, and various other categories. The library was a historical landmark for the people of Mortlock Island for over forty-eight years. Even with wear and tear on the books, the local islanders took great care, and looked after the library as an important asset for the people on the island. For over 45 years, it was a valuable source of learning and knowledge building for the school children in Takuu. This is evident as Mortlock or Takuu Island is known for its intellectuals, and has produced some of the best academic results in the country over the years. It is a remote atoll, yet it has produced global leaders covering almost all aspects of careers in different fields of expertise that are working within the country and abroad such as Lawyers, Doctors, Psychologists, Geologists, CEO’s, Economists, Engineers, Lecturers, Professors, Accountants, Captains/Mariners, Pilots, Departmental Secretaries, Entrepreneurs, Analysts, Auditors, Financial Advisors, Teachers, Nurses, Managers in all positions and more. Sadly, from 2010 until 2019, the number of students moving from high school to college has severely dropped with almost no one going on for further education beyond high school. This is partly due to having a poor library, which was the main source of education. The library was the substitute for the internet as it contained a wealth of knowledge for school children to access anytime. Even the community benefited from it, as the atoll island was often completely cut off from the rest of the world, due to poor communication links. Thus there is an urgent need to rebuild, restock, and to restore this important facility. MWT is working with 7th and 8th graders at Odyssey Middle School on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, USA to conduct a book drive and to help restock the library. Students will be collecting books and fundraising to pay for shipping to transport the books to Takuu. Restocking the Takuu library means the community can once again have a place to go for knowledge and other community resources.
UPDATES
March-9-2020 - The Odyssey students have written to and spoken on the phone with the local Rotary Club to ask for funding. The proposal will be presented to the Rotary of Bainbridge Island on Thursday night. The books weigh 150 pounds and we are calculating shipping to get to Buka, Papua New Guinea.
March-6-2020 - So far students have collected 379 books to be shipped. The students have reached out to the US Embassy in Papua New Guinea but have not had a response. The students have also reached out to Bainbridge Island rotary and have a phone conference on Monday March 9 with the director of youth grants.
February 28-2020 - Students have collected 243 books so far and are still excited to collect more. An email was sent out to the entire school community to ask for more books to be donated and collected in order to stock the library. We expect a big return.
February 21-2020 - The project is off and running with a group of students who are dedicated to collecting books and searching for or fundraising for money to ship the collected books to Takuu.