[Foundation-l] Fwd: Wikipedia and books for African children

Fri Jul 21 11:59:08 UTC 2006

Hello, 

Let me forward this email to Foundation-l for other
people feedback, and let's keep in touch with this in
any case :-)

Florence Devouard

--- Marlies Klooster <marliesklooster at gmail.com>
wrote:

> This is the e-mail I meant.
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> Marlies
> 
> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> > From: Jimmy Wales <jwales at wikia.com>
> > Date: 17 July 2006 2:21:43 PM
> > To: Marlies Klooster <marliesklooster at gmail.com>
> > Subject: Re: Wikipedia and books for African
> children
> >
> > Thank you! :) You might consider sending this
> email as well to
> > foundation-l at wikimedia.org so that more people in
> our community will 
> > see
> > it and learn about this wonderful organization.
> >
> >
> > Marlies Klooster wrote:
> >> Dear Mr Walsh,
> >>
> >> I am impressed by the work and initiatives of
> Wikimedia, especially
> >> Wikipedia. You developed something that is truly
> unique for our times
> >> and I want you to compliment for that. Recently I
> read an interview 
> >> with
> >> you in the Dutch newspaper NRC (www.nrc.nl) in
> which you made the
> >> intriguing remark that if Wikipedia were ever to
> make money from
> >> advertisements, you would want this money to go
> to books for children 
> >> in
> >> Africa.
> >>
> >> As a volunteer and fundraiser for Biblionef I
> feel I should tell you
> >> about this great book organization I know:
> Biblionef. This NGO donates
> >> new storybooks--free of charge--to needy
> children’s organisations
> >> throughout South Africa. (There are more
> Biblionefs in other 
> >> countries,
> >> see http://www.biblionef.org/). Since 1999
> Biblionef South Africa only
> >> has donated over 250.000 books. Their target
> group comprises children
> >> living in disadvantaged communities who have no
> access to books.
> >> Biblionef is unique in South Africa in the sense
> that the books they
> >> donate are in each child’s own language, which
> means they cover all of
> >> South Africa’s eleven languages.
> >>
> >> In South Africa over 60% of schools have no
> library and at least half 
> >> of
> >> them is located more than 40 miles away from a
> public library. The 
> >> main
> >> aim of Biblionef’s work is to establish a culture
> of reading. This is
> >> only possible when the books have an impact on
> children. That is why
> >> Biblionef carefully collects the books that will
> be donated. In doing 
> >> so
> >> Biblionef closely cooperates with local
> publishers in various ways.
> >> Publishers donate newly published storybooks in
> the African languages 
> >> to
> >> Biblionef. For other projects Biblionef initiates
> reprints or
> >> publications. Whenever possible Biblionef links
> its donation to 
> >> existing
> >> reading initiatives or plans.
> >>
> >> I personally worked with Biblionef for over a
> year, during which we
> >> created the website (www.biblionefsa.org.za) and
> during which I had 
> >> the
> >> chance to visit a great number of schools and
> libraries who had (or
> >> asked for) Biblionef books. Some were really
> small, some had hardly 
> >> any
> >> books but they were always FULL with children.
> You have to visit an
> >> African library to understand its importance in a
> world deprived of
> >> information and quiet workspace. A number of
> those libraries is in the
> >> process of getting computers and internet
> connection, too. But doesn't
> >> all learning and reading start with colourful
> stories conveyed in
> >> quality books? If you ever have the opportunity
> to donate toward books
> >> for children in Africa, I strongly hope you will
> think of Biblionef.
> >>
> >> Thank you so much for your time and
> consideration.
> >>
> >> Kind regards,
> >>
> >> Marlies Klooster
> >> for: Biblionef South Africa
> >> http://www.biblionefsa.org.za
> >>
> >> Biblionef is a member of the American Fund for
> Charities, a 501(c)(3)
> >> public charity that allows American individuals
> and companies to make
> >> tax-deductible donations to Biblionef SA through
> their fund.
> >>
> >> "Motho ke motho ka batho babang" (A person is a
> person because of 
> >> others)
> >>
> >
> >
> > -- 
> >
>
#######################################################################
> > #    Office: 1-727-231-0101       |  Free Culture
> and  Free Knowledge #
> > #    http://www.wikipedia.org     |     Building a
> free world         #
> >
>
#######################################################################
> > begin:vcard
> fn:Jimmy Wales
> n:Wales;Jimmy
> org:Wikia, Inc. 
> email;internet:jwales at wikia.com
> title:Chairman
> tel;work:+1-727-231-0101
> x-mozilla-html:FALSE
> url:http://www.wikia.com/
> version:2.1
> end:vcard
> 
> 

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