Africa-Press – Botswana. Nestled between some of the village’s recognisable landmarks, the village kgotla in the north and Botswana Post office in the south, sits a beacon for both readers and learners.
A Botswana Housing Corporation crest on the left and Semolale reading room on the right share a board that greets visitors into the refurbished Semolale library, dubbed the reading room.
A shade of light orange, heavily leaning towards peach, a green roof and green skirtingboard and or baseboard are some of the most conspicuous features of the refurbished reading room that underwent total facelift and or makeover by BHC to render it habitable and suitable for the intended task.
Amongst other things, the over P363 000 worth of makeover, the library was fitted with a veranda, both roof and floor tiles, books, tables and seats for kids, air conditioners and standalone ablutions behind the facility. Additionally, it is installed with electricity, a facility that has proven basic than luxury.
Now, the reading room that was established in 2004 and kept on undergoing facelifts over the years has transformed into a beacon to readers while also playing home to a playgroup of kids in the custody of the librarian and Tirelo Sechaba volunteer. Parents entrust the library with the custody of their children whilst they go out eking out a living.
The reading room, ever since completion of its makeover April last year, has been beckoning both the young and old who are hungry and thirsty for reading and consuming knowledge under the quiet environment that their homes could be bereft of.
Not only that, the light orange-to-peach coloured facility has also added colour to the dusty, mundane surrounding: an apt escape from the noisy part of the village to the quiet, knowledge-bearing sanctuary.
Speaking at the handover of the facility, BHC acting chief executive officer, Ms Pascaline Sefawe who expected the library to provide knowledge and wisdom to the users, challenged Semolale residents to empower themselves by reading and gaining knowledge.
“May the place be filled with light, love, warmth, beautiful stories and learnings… May one candle light another for generations to come,” said the CEO, Mr Sefawe.
When accepting the donation on behalf of the community, village development committee chairman, Mr Gabana Mosebola dubbed the facility a colourful addition to the village despite the doubts they harbored when BHC first approached them with intentions to facelift the facility.
Although they had pleaded with the housing corporation to help with their laundry facility or kgotla shelter, the village leadership thought the over P360 000 required for the upgrades of the reading room too steep for BHC to dig. However, the corporation settled for the reading room although to a doubtful community.
“We expect the residents of this village to utilise this facility to its full potential,” said Mr Mosebola.
Although without Internet connectivity to fit a modern library, the village leadership has been challenged to seek funding to equip the library with the much needed connectivity.
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