Kenya’s Ambassador to the USA, Dr. Yusuf A. Nzibo, visited Rutgers University on Saturday, April 17 to recognize the efforts of the Global Literacy Project (GLP), members of the Rutgers community and Pastor J. Michael Sanders and the congregation of Fountain Baptist Church (Summit) for supporting literacy in Kenya.

While on campus Dr. Nzibo also visited 50 GLP, Rutgers student volunteers and Fountain Baptist Church members as they packed some 60,000 volumes of donated books for shipment to Kenya, East Africa.

The books will fill a new library being built by Fountain Baptist Church at Isunguluni Village in Kibwezi. This will be the first new library building is the district since the 1960s.

Members of Fountain Baptist Church undertook several exchange visits to Kenya over the past several years. They were struck by the need for educational materials for institutions at all levels. In 2003 Fountain Baptist and GLP entered into discussions which resulted in an initial shipment of 25,000 books to the Isunguluni area.

In 2004 the two groups held further discussions which have resulted in a multi-year commitment with GLP and Fountain Baptist Church (Summit, NJ) forming an alliance to deliver literacy support materials for some 23 schools around Isunguluni anchored by the new library being constructed.

The Global Literacy Project, Inc. (www.glpinc.org) is a non-profit organization based in New Jersey that collects, sorts and redistributes surplus and discarded educational materials from New Jersey to communities around the world in need. GLP regularly organizes university students to serve as volunteers in different capacities in New Jersey and abroad.

Vanya Whaley, G.O.Y.A. and Diana Dade, GLP Trustee

Much of GLP’s activities are achieved through the effort of student volunteers such as members of G.O.Y.A., a Rutgers University group made up of students from Cook, Douglass, Rutgers and Livingston College.

GLP was recognized in February 2002 through a New Jersey State General Assembly resolution commending the organization for its literacy activism.

(Left to Right) Dr. Robert Ginsberg, Dr. Prosper Godonoo, Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, Mrs. Jeanette Goodson

Community leaders, New Jersey Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, Dr. Robert Ginsberg, Dr. Robert Ginsberg, Principal Johnson Park School in Princeton, Dr. Prosper Godonoo, Director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, Rutgers University, and Mrs. Jeanette Goodson and the Kenya Committee of the Fountain Baptist Church and Dr. Thelma Tate of the Rutgers Libraries were also recognized by the Ambassador.