University of Wyoming doctoral student Adeline Borti started the “Access to Books Project” in 2016, with the aim of providing better opportunities for struggling students to expand their reading abilities in her native home, Ghana.
The project provides books and other literacy resources to encourage reading for pleasure and for educational facilities in places where books are scarcely available. It was started with the purpose of increasing literacy in the communities and schools of Ghana.
“I started the ‘Access to Books Project’ because I, myself as a teacher, understand the importance of learning with books and the requirement of resources when it comes to academics” Borti said.
Her project faced some hardships in the beginning.
“Initially I had collected 20,000 books, but because I didn’t have enough funding I could only take a minimum amount in the year 2016 which was also when I provided the training for the teachers,” Borti said, “But I decided that 104 books was not enough so I applied for a university grant which allowed me to buy more books and also bookshelves because preserving the books is as important as providing them.”
The current Wyoming Excellence Endowed Chair in Literacy Education, Cynthia Brock, also her professor and co-advisor provided funding for a part of Borti’s airfare to travel to Ghana to deliver the books in person.
Victoria Gillis, UW’s recently retired Wyoming Excellence Endowed Chair in Literacy Education, worked with Borti to explore sources for funding the transportation of the books to Ghana.
“Borti’s commitment to the children and teachers of Ghana, coupled with her leadership abilities, have made this dream a reality,” Gillis said.
Borti started her project two years ago and the books collected since then have been donated to the elementary school students at the Agotime-Wodome Salvation Army Basic School. The school is located in the region in Ghana where Borti grew up.
Most of the books that Borti selected for donation were storybooks for elementary students. She believes the books help students develop an interest in reading for pleasure and will also promote reading for academic purposes.
The project also facilitated the training for teachers and volunteers from the community on the proper and effective use of the books with children. They also discussed management of the libraries where the books are located.
The workshop was attended by 10 of the school’s teachers. There were discussions on current research findings in relation to literacy, reading, nurturing teachers, maintaining the growth mindset as teachers and being reflective practitioners.
The workshop focused on the understanding and appreciation of the teachers toward the importance of motivating students to improve literacy and academic achievement in the school. They also discussed the need for literacy education resources for the teachers to continue to improve their knowledge about effective literacy teaching and learning.
In addition to the resource books, Beitel Elementary School in Laramie donated 540 books to the program. The shelves and additional books were delivered to Ghana last fall.
With the school’s growing collection of books, Borti hopes to help the school build a library to store and protect these valuable resources. She also has written a grant proposal to the International Literacy Association to fund a four-day professional development workshop in literacy for the teachers at the Agotime District.
“I believe in the quote ‘Being privileged is a responsibility’ so because I have been fortunate to have all these resources I want to provide them to those who don’t have it,” Borti said.
Borti is continually working on her project and hopes to expand it even more. She is currently working on a website which will allow students in the community to donate books or help her on her project.
“If anybody is willing to help us or are passionate about this project then they can visit my website (which will be ready by the end of January) or contact me through my department, or simple email me [at aborti@uwyo.edu],” Borti said.
