IF YOU CAN DREAM IT YOU CAN DO IT
The establishment of the Field of Dreams library at the Albert Street School is fast becoming reality. Amecon has finished most of the refurbishment. New, smaller windows had been installed on the side of the building, which will allow for more shelving against the walls and will also make it more burglar-proof. The cement floor is finished, the roof waterproofed and the electrical work’s done.
All that now remains of the refurbish are installing the carpet tiles and ceiling, window glazing, and painting the interior and exterior. Amecon can only work on Saturdays to fit FOD into their busy schedule and it should take three more weekends before the shelving can be fitted. Tswane Hardware is busy manufacturing the shelves and this should be finished by Mid-March.
The PCP Graffiti crew will do the street art mural towards the latter part of March once the construction is finished and we’ve agreed that the photograph above will be used as a basis to work from - I’m intrigued what the PCP crew will come up with using their creativity and technical skills to produce a beautiful artwork - the interpretation is up to them, all I asked is that the words; “If You Can Dream It - You Can Do It” be incorporated as an inspiration to the disadvantaged and refugee children, many who are orphaned who will maybe realize that dreams can become reality.
I am amazed by how generosity of people. Jonathan Mguni, who presently is a trained librarian without a library knows exactly what he requires to run a school library. He suggested a computerized access system to control the books and I thought he’s dreaming too big. I made a couple of phone calls, using friends of friends, and Polygon Software donated a programme without hesitation. We’ve got the computer, and I’ll buy a scanner out of the funding still remaining, and Jonathan will have what he needs to control the books effectively.
Visiting the school one can sense the excitement and enthusiasm of the teachers about the project. The Field of Dreams library has reverberated into Zimbabwe. Late one Saturday afternoon while at Albert Street I had the pleasure of meeting Sekai Holland, Zimbabwe’s opposition Minister of National Healing and Reconciliation, who was visiting the school to view the current xenophobia exhibition and the library under construction.
Seeing this graceful, softly spoken grandmother in her late sixties, it is hard to believe she was once called ‘Blair’s whore’. Mrs. Holland had been severely assaulted and tortured several times, getting a leg, arm and three ribs broken for her outspoken beliefs
She made the wrong ‘choices’ of marrying a white man and belonging to the opposition and had to be punished for going against the norms expected by mad Bob’s ZANU PF.
http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=1198
This makes me even more determined to establish the best library I can for these refugee children, many who fled across the border away from the madness and mayhem. Many ended up as orphans in Jozi. We owe them something better than what happened to Sekai Holland.