Teacher Aims to Fill a Need in Rural Botswana
Books For Africa was contacted in early 2025 by Rachel Corney, who is working there as an English Teacher for much of the year. She reached out with a request to launch a project to provide books and supplies to Shakawe Senior Secondary School. This boarding school in rural northwest Botswana houses over 1,700 students ages 15-18 from neighboring villages to provide them with reliable, quality education. While the school staff is unfailingly dedicated to nurturing the students’ learning, there was one problem: a serious shortage of books.
Shakawe School’s beautiful shelves sat empty, with minimal furniture in its library. Students were being held back from reaching their full potential by the limited reading materials available to them. As School Head Ms. Gabo Tlou described it, “Empty library shelves: a hindrance to academic excellence.”
Rachel discussed with the teachers and administration and decided to launch a project to fill the library with reading materials, especially focused at improving English and creating an inviting and inspiring environment to learn. Librarian Ms. Kabo Kambimba described the goal as “going on an adventure around the world through books while relaxing in rural Shakawe.”
The project received support from BetterWorld Trust, which leveraged the many gifts fundraised in Rachel’s community to complete the funding.
Rachel has also created a Library Social Club: a group of senior students dedicated to exploring the wondrous world of books, and that team of students will be tasked with handling the books shipped from BFA (under the guidance of staff).
Said Rachel, “My experience in Shakawe has touched me in ways I had not anticipated when I began this journey. The community inside and outside the school is filled with camaraderie, respect, and generosity. I am consistently blown away by how hard these students work and their powerful desire to learn. I quickly realized that providing a crucial educational need such as books could further ignite their passion and be a small stepping stone in allowing them to reach their academic and professional goals. Proud does not even begin to express how I feel about the students and I want to do whatever I can to give back”
It’s hoped that the shipment, which arrives in late September, will not only fill the shelves of Shakawe School’s library, but also the primary school’s library, the small public library, and provide some books to ensure that local families have books in their homes.
