Our Work in Kenya
We partner with schools and communities across Kenya to expand access to books and strengthen children’s literacy. Our programs include Reading Rooms, Reading Corners, Literacy Bags, and Book Donations, giving students the resources and encouragement they need to read, learn, and succeed. By pairing new books and welcoming library spaces with teacher support and simple tools for families, we help turn access into daily reading and measurable learning gains.
The Need
In Kenya, children enter school eager to learn, but face significant barriers that prevent them from becoming confident readers. According to the 2023 Flana report, 3 in 10 Grade 6 learners and 2 in 10 Grade 8 learners cannot read at a Grade 3 level in English. Challenges include under-resourced classrooms, frequent language transitions between the mother tongue and English, and limited access to age-appropriate books. These factors contribute to a learning gap that often follows students into higher grades and beyond. Compounding the problem, only 23% of public primary schools in Kenya have libraries, with rural and peri-urban schools being the most disadvantaged.
With the transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, literacy is increasingly recognized as a foundational life skill that can be developed through practical, engaging, and learner-centered activities. CBE shifts learning away from rote memorization toward fostering competencies such as problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking—skills that are best nurtured through a love of reading. These competencies align with the vision of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which positions education as a key driver of a fair, inclusive, and sustainable world.
Our programs directly address these issues by donating quality storybooks, establishing school libraries, distributing Literacy Bags, and providing training to educators and parents. Through these efforts, we aim to support children both in school and at home, enabling them to develop foundational reading skills, feel confident in their learning, and thrive in their educational journey.
Our Local Partner
Start A Library Trust
We are proud to partner with Start A Library Trust, a Kenyan charitable organization dedicated to putting a library in every public primary school and inspiring a love of reading among learners. Their work bridges educational gaps by making quality storybooks accessible and nurturing a reading culture through school libraries and activities.
Start A Library Trust transforms underutilized classrooms into vibrant, welcoming, and safe library spaces that inspire curiosity and foster a love for learning. By equipping schools with high-quality, locally authored books, they empower children to see themselves in the stories they read, making learning more relatable and meaningful. Through comprehensive training and continuous support, they equip teacher-librarians, administrators, and Junior Reading Champions with the skills and knowledge needed to maximize library resources and foster a strong reading culture. Their advocacy efforts amplify the voices of children and communities, ensuring that their stories and needs drive meaningful change.
The Library Project is proud to partner with Start A Library Trust to help them achieve their goal of every school in Kenya having a library.
Global Partnerships
By working through local partners rather than establishing large field offices, The Library Project can keep its operating costs low, directing more donor funding directly into programs that benefit children, teachers, and families. This allows us to focus resources where they matter most — providing books, building libraries, training educators, and supporting parents in fostering a love of reading at home.
Our Work in Kenya
We partner with schools and communities across Kenya to expand access to books and strengthen children’s literacy. Our programs include Reading Rooms, Reading Corners, Literacy Bags, and Book Donations, giving students the resources and encouragement they need to read, learn, and succeed. By pairing new books and welcoming library spaces with teacher support and simple tools for families, we help turn access into daily reading and measurable learning gains.
The Need
In Kenya, children enter school eager to learn, but face significant barriers that prevent them from becoming confident readers. According to the 2023 Flana report, 3 in 10 Grade 6 learners and 2 in 10 Grade 8 learners cannot read at a Grade 3 level in English. Challenges include under-resourced classrooms, frequent language transitions between the mother tongue and English, and limited access to age-appropriate books. These factors contribute to a learning gap that often follows students into higher grades and beyond. Compounding the problem, only 23% of public primary schools in Kenya have libraries, with rural and peri-urban schools being the most disadvantaged.
With the transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, literacy is increasingly recognized as a foundational life skill that can be developed through practical, engaging, and learner-centered activities. CBE shifts learning away from rote memorization toward fostering competencies such as problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking—skills that are best nurtured through a love of reading. These competencies align with the vision of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which positions education as a key driver of a fair, inclusive, and sustainable world.
Our programs directly address these issues by donating quality storybooks, establishing school libraries, distributing Literacy Bags, and providing training to educators and parents. Through these efforts, we aim to support children both in school and at home, enabling them to develop foundational reading skills, feel confident in their learning, and thrive in their educational journey.
Our Local Partner
We are proud to partner with Start a Library, a Kenyan charitable organization dedicated to putting a library in every public primary school and inspiring a love of reading among learners. Their work bridges educational gaps by making quality storybooks accessible and nurturing a reading culture through school libraries and activities.
Start a Library transforms underutilized classrooms into vibrant, welcoming, and safe library spaces that inspire curiosity and foster a love for learning. By equipping schools with high-quality, locally authored books, they empower children to see themselves in the stories they read, making learning more relatable and meaningful. Through comprehensive training and continuous support, they equip teacher-librarians, administrators, and Junior Reading Champions with the skills and knowledge needed to maximize library resources and foster a strong reading culture. Their advocacy efforts amplify the voices of children and communities, ensuring that their stories and needs drive meaningful change.
The Library Project is proud to partner with Start a Library to help them achieve their goal of every school in Kenya having a library.