Reading

In English schools, and in our society generally, we learn to read, then we read the daily paper, or books and magazines ... some read the Daily Mirror, others prefer The Guardian ... it doesn't matter; reading is part of our culture, and most people read something every day ... even if they don't read novels or go to the local library ever !

It doesn't seem to be so in Africa. 

Both Lilian, the lady we employed as our cook, and Lucy, the wife of Paul who together started the carpentry workshop project, both commented at different times when they saw us relaxing in the evening reading, or that we all had two or three books next to our beds.   "We don't have a culture of reading for pleasure" was what they said. 

True, books are VERY expensive in Kenya if they are imported 'bodice rippers' and Dan Brown ! ... but there are African writers such as Ngugi Wa'thiongo and Grace Ogot from Kenya, Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie from Nigeria, as well as many others, some of whom are published in the cheap Heinnemans African Writers series.

No, reading seems to me to be something that is taught in schools, as a skill for learning other things, a route to knowledge and possible employment , not something to be pursued for pleasure. 

I visited a couple of homes while I was in Kenya ... not one book to be seen anywhere.  Such a pity books that don't sell in charity shops, or at our twice yearly church fetes, for example, can't be shipped to Africa and given away FREE !   But like so many things ... its the cost ...