"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
- Nelson Mandela
One of the main purposes to build a library in Asikuma was to provide hope to the young in the community of a future less bleak than the daily routine of the rural village. Before the construction of the library, for most, a day in Asikuma included sitting around with not much to do. That sounds like vacation to many Americans at first thought. However, knowing that the reason they are sitting around is because they do not have enough calories in their bodies to do any physical activity, nor enough money or resources to obtain more food. Ladies sometimes work selling food and miscellaneous items on the side of the road to the occassional traveler coming through the village. School attendance throughout the community were very low, only the wealthy could send their children to school. Most other children were required to stay home and help care for younger siblings or assist in selling on the side of the road. Teachers were running out of resources to teach with as well as space to teach. There was a teacher to student ratio of 1:90. In numbers that does not seem like very much, but look at this graph to help put it into perspective.
Related Link: http://lifeinafrica2.com/
"Life in Africa." Life in Africa. Web. 10 May 2012. <http://lifeinafrica2.com/>.
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