The International Alliance for Child Literacy donated 3,300 children’s books and 1,350 pounds of education materials to three schools and one library in Saint Lucia, including Soufriere Public Library.
Somerset, N.J. — On May 30, 2011, representatives from the International Alliance for Child Literacy (IACL), a U.S.-based non-profit charity, visited Soufriere Public Library in Saint Lucia to conduct a site visit. The IACL donated 3,300 children’s books and 1,350 pounds of education materials to three schools and one library in Saint Lucia, including Soufriere Public Library.
IACL President, Andrea de Vries, and Director of Marketing, Stephanie Godfrey, received a warm welcome from Peace Corps Volunteer Lisa Kuk and librarian Catherine Prospere. Children from Soufriere Infant School visited the library to see the books and materials donated by the IACL for the establishment of a children’s section at the library.
In celebration of the new collection of books, the children and their teacher donned costumes representing their favorite storybook characters, including Rapunzel, Cinderella, Dora the Explorer and Spiderman. The children also sang songs in honor of reading to show their appreciation. “We are truly honored to be in Soufriere and able to witness the children’s excitement upon seeing the new books,” said de Vries. “They were eager to start reading right away!”
Soufriere FM, a local radio station covered the event and helped spread the word about the IACL’s literacy outreach efforts in Soufriere and other parts of Saint Lucia. “We look forward to visiting all of the schools that have received donations,” said de Vries. “Everyone in Saint Lucia has been gracious and welcoming and we definitely want to continue our outreach efforts here after we return to the United States.”
The IACL partners with other American organizations and local communities in the developing world to establish libraries and literacy centers for children and their families. Through its outreach efforts, the organization promotes life-long learning and the improvement of reading and writing skills. The IACL hopes to donate 100,000 books to children and families in the Caribbean in 2011. Read more about the IACL’s Caribbean literacy outreach at http://www.theiacl.org/
