MOBILE LIBRARY GETS NORTH-WESTERNERS READING
SOLWEZI, ZAMBIA – Communities in North-Western Province can now access to books directly from a mobile library set up by First Quantum Minerals’ Kansanshi Mining Plc.
The service was launched as part of the mining firm’s National Library Week celebration.
The mobile library is part of the company’s suite of programmes designed to contribute to the development of literacy while engendering a reading culture in low-income rural communities.
“Literacy, especially functional literacy, is a pre-requisite for development. And Kansanshi Mining is pleased to be contributing to such a noble cause,” said FQM’s Kansanshi Foundation Head of Education Dr Onward Mandebvu.
Dr Mandebvu noted that while schools in the area were doing a commendable job in teaching pupils how to read and write, they often lacked books students could read for recreational purposes and enhance their literacy outside academia.
“In order to enhance the culture of reading in local communities, the librarian will also be reading selected books to the visitors,” he said.
“Libraries are an important part of a literate society and play a significant role in people’s social and economic life. Effective use of libraries does, however, depend on a few factors one of which is the presence in people of such foundational skills and values as literacy and the culture of reading. These foundational skills and values are the basis of Kansanshi’s collaboration with the Ministry of Education in celebrating the national library week.”
The mobile library is scheduled to visit 15 selected stations once a month in locations that include Kyafukuma, Kimasala, Kimiteto, Kabwela, Mbonge and Solwezi town where adults and children can borrow and read books for the duration of the visit.
Last year, the company procured an assortment of more than 62,000 books from a UK-based book charity, which it distributed to all schools in Solwezi District.
“This year the company has, in a first of its kind in North-Western Province, placed an order of more than 20,000 novels to be distributed to schools and libraries in and around Solwezi town, with some of the books going into the company’s mobile library. These books will be culturally relatable to the readers because they are all written by authors in Africa. A reading renaissance is underway,” he said.
First Quantum has spent over US$100 million on its sustainability and community development programmes, aligning its programmes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Its education package extends from early childhood education programmes, through all levels of schooling as well as its Kwambula skills development initiative at the Solwezi Trades Training Institute (SOTTI).
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About First Quantum Minerals Ltd
First Quantum Minerals Ltd is a global metals and mining company producing mainly copper, gold and zinc. The company’s assets are in Zambia, Spain, Mauritania, Australia, Finland, Turkey, Panama, Argentina and Peru.
In 2020, First Quantum globally produced 779,000 tonnes of copper, 265,000 ounces of gold and 13,000 tonnes of nickel.
In Zambia it operates the Kansanshi mine – the largest copper mine in Africa by production – and smelter and the Sentinel mine in Kalumbila.
The company is listed on the Lusaka and Toronto stock exchanges.
http://www.first-quantum.com/
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