The city of Lubumbashi is equipped, thanks to the French Institute, with a youth library and a comic book library. It’s a first. This cultural institution has just acquired more than 600 new books with very varied themes such as comic strips, novels or African tales. This initiative aims to attract even more young people to reading with better access to books.
With our correspondent in the DRC, Denise Mahého
Teddy is a student at Imara College in Lubumbashi. His school has a library but this youngster laments the quality of the books it contains: “ I often go to the school library. But, well….. There aren’t really any books and it’s in bad shape, you see… »
Bertin is another student with a passion for reading. He turns to his family for something to read: “ I have an uncle who owns several books. Often, I borrow from him. »
Make up the book deficit
This young man is far from alone. In the city of Lubumbashi, there are few libraries and not all children have access to them, explains Gabriel Mukendi, primary school director: “ There are children who would like to have access to books but they don’t have that luxury. Either the libraries are there but are not equipped, or the schools do not have the means to obtain books. »
In an attempt to fill this gap, the French Institute of Lubumbashi has not only opened a library for young people, but also proposes to bring the book to other readers living on the outskirts of the city.
“ Wandering trunks »
” There will also be what I call “ wandering trunks » where we will put books by age and which will go around in schools far from the city center “says Marine Leloup, director of the French Institute.
In addition to books for young people, the new library also has books with many illustrations and books ” to touch » for the little ones.
To listen again: Kinshasa: reading for all!