YAC - Library

While visiting the Youth Agricultural Center (YAC) we were brought to see the classroom building and the library. Well, I was pleasantly surprised to learn there was a library, until I entered the library.

Inside the library – a resource for both the youth to study and for the neighboring villagers to do their own self study was a true reality check/slap in the face. This school, this training center, supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the Liberian Government and the UNITED NATIONS is surely in need of MORE HELP!

One the library contained possibly three dozen books – of which 1/3 were completely off topic, such as the UN Report on Finance in Liberia, or the latest Liberian Government Annual Report – Not sure how these “books” are going to help me to learn to farm, 1/3 were newspapers, pamphlets, magazines, most outdated – again, not even on the topic of agriculture, and 1/3 were agricultural but so DENSE, so ACADEMIC, and so VERBOSE, that they contained more theory about agriculture than actually teaching how to grow produce or raise livestock.

Needless to say – most Liberians CAN’T READ – so if anything there needs to be large simplified books with PICTURES. Of course a dream scenario would be finding people and teaching folks how to read and then farming – yes – but TIME is of the essence. So here, on my little visit to the YAC I finally felt ILL – sick – it all came crashing down – LIBRARY – how can there be a LIBRARY when nobody reads! AND WHO WAS THE SICK DEMENTED human who thought to put these useless books, reports, and periodicals in this Library. Ok note to self Chris, the director, needs some help. Okay I will look into this in the future. But today I just need to compose myself.

And then there is the information on the wall – posters if you will that seemed more fitting for the content and helpful for the setting.

These posters helped identify tools and animals and even parts of animals. There was a diagram of a pig, chickens, and even a grass cutter! Grass cutters or ground hogs are a delicacy in Liberia – I have yet to get my hands on one – and bush caught grass cutters sell for $70 US. Ironically, NO ONE in the entire country is RAISING grass cutters. Chris and YAC is hoping next month to start the first trial of raising grass cutters! I am so excited – I asked to be first on the list as a customer! Very excited!

So,  for now the library is a mess – when I return to stay with Chris, we will have better discussions then on how I and my friends may be able to help YAC and in particular providing content appropriate books with simple instruction and large images.