BY KEITH LACEY
Two University of Sudbury professors are
spearheading a project to bring books and reading materials to the
war-ravaged African country of Burundi.
![]() |
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top > Professor Melchior
Mbonimpa, who emigrated from Burundi in 1987, is
collecting books to send to help educate children in
his homeland in Central Africa. |
The small central African country is rebuilding
after more than 10 years of civil war and the new government has
made a commitment to offer every child in Burundi a quality
education.
Books are needed to achieve that goal, said
Melchior Mbonimpa, who emigrated from Burundi in 1987. He has been
teaching at the University of Sudbury for the past 14 years.
?The new president of Burundi has
announced all kids will go to school,? said Mbonimpa.
?This is a big decision because you used to have to pay to
go to school and more than 40 percent of children from Burundi did
not attend school.?
The Embassy of Burundi in Ottawa approached him
and asked if he would participate in a book drive. He will be
assisted in the venture by fellow University of Sudbury professor
Fabien Cishahayo, who is also a native of Burundi.
The project has been called A Book for All:
Support to Libraries and Documentation Centres in Burundi.
The government has committed to re-establishing a
solid school system from primary, through to secondary and
post-secondary and building a huge catalogue of library and text
books is essential, said Mbonimpa.
?The more books the better...we will
need novels, text books and books in both French and
English,? he said.
Mbonimpa is hoping to collect hundreds of
books.
Officials from the Embassy of Burundi will make
the trip to Sudbury in November to pick up the books and ensure
they are properly transported overseas to Africa, said Mbonimpa.
?If people wish to give books, please let us know before
Oct. 31, and we will collect them and send them in
November,? he said.
Burundi is located in Central Africa near the
equator. It is a former Belgian colony and has a population of
around six million people. French is one of the official
languages.
Anyone wishing to drop off books can do so at the
University of Sudbury on the campus of Laurentian University in
Room 103 or Room 206 or near the front door of the library.
If anyone wants further information, they can
contact Mbonimpa at 673-5661, ext. 150 or e-mail him at
[email protected]