Immortalising dreams - Tiwerenge

Sadly, I cannot say that I have read many books in my life. If it were not for my exams or general academic work, I could literally count the books I have read in my lifetime using my fingers. Due to the minimal number of books that I have read, the individual stories are still so vivid in my mind. I remember forging my parent's signature in primary school to tick off with my English teacher that I had indeed read the book! Needless to say, I had 'read' the most books in my class!

My sister on the other hand would read absolutely everything she could get her hands on. Unlike me, she actually read the books! She would always recommend books to me, but alas, if it wasn't part of the Twilight Saga, I found the effort to psych myself up to be an almost impossible task to carry out. My lines have always been, 'After my exams are done!' or 'during my holiday' or my recent classic favourite is 'when I get a kindle or iPad’. Exams have come and gone, so have holidays, and the opportunity to get a kindle even as a present has come and has been passed off! Looking at it now, it was her way of sharing the area in her life that she finds joy in. 

Unlike my situation, where I was given the resources but did not utilise them, in Africa, and I can only speak for Malawian government school such resources are scarce. The number of child per book is very high. 

The dream to get everyone reading gave birth to Tiwerenge Foundation. This foundation encapsulated the joy of reading that my sister has always shared with my mother, myself, and her friends. Tiwerenge is an organisation in Malawi that supplies books to primary schools that need them the most. The very first resources of Tiwerenge were the very books that I was offered to read and never quite got around to reading. This foundation founded in Malawi has opened up the access of books to kids who would have otherwise not had the opportunity to these resources.

Something that started off as a casual conversation in my parent’s kitchen, the dream shared then was big! We discussed, looking at the use of kindles in schools. We also looked at starting middle school book clubs, where children could come together and share what they have read. This would get them thinking broadly for themselves. I personally felt the latter idea to be really good as I would have definitely been caught out with my signature forging routine! To imagine the thought of being asked to share what I had read, the shame!

This foundation is looking to provide skills that no one could ever steal from the children. To equip such skills to any child is a priceless gift and significantly undervalued, whether in a developing nation or developed. Just imagine not being able to read, what is the price you would have paid to get that skill? 

In these modern days we are sounded with over ambitious individual and an eager population. Everyone is looking for something that will fulfil their being, and give them that extra meaning to life. Think big and do it, don’t ever apologise or belittle your thoughts, imagination and ideas! If an idea such as that of a matchstick can light a room, imagine what an idea of enlightening a whole nation can do.

As John Quincy Adam said 'The influence of each human being on others in this life is a kind of immortality', therefore, I say immortalise your joys, and dreams!