Virginia Clark Hagan Charitable Foundation funds shipment of 20,000 books to Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda Ranked as one of the world's twenty-five poorest countries, the central African nation of Uganda struggles to support its educational system. Like many developing countries, however, it is full of young people with a hunger for knowledge. In an effort to feed this hunger, IBP joined a cross-country partnership with long-time friend, donor and volunteer Joyce Lockhart, currently based in Portland Oregon. Lockhart helped coordinate book donations from educational institutions around the Portland area, including Portland State University and Portland Community College. Thanks to these and other schools, Lockhart compiled a book shipment, weighing 44,200 pounds, which was sent on August 8, 2005, to Makerere University, Uganda's largest college. IBP funded the shipment thanks to a generous grant from the Virginia Clark Hagan Charitable foundation. Comprised of a wide array of educational texts, serving primary to college-level students, the value of the shipment is estimated between $750,000 and $1,000,000. This sort of financial aid is invaluable to Uganda's educational system and the impact of these books on the lives of Ugandan students is equally far-reaching. Makerere University, located in Uganda's capital Kampala, enrolls approximately 45,000 students. Its library houses up-to-date texts in cages where only librarians are allowed. Students must pick texts from a card catalog and wait in line to for access to them. These books may be used for a limited number of hours and only in the confines of the library. Only outdated texts, some more than sixty years old, may be checked out. High school and elementary school students in Uganda face similar challenges. One Peace Corps volunteer estimates that in the country's rural areas, there is approximately one book per 20-40 primary school students. Average class sizes range from 80-100 students. Thanks to the financial support of the Virginia Clark Hagan Charitable Foundation as well as the efforts of Lockhart and book donors throughout the Portland area, Ugandan students will have greater educational opportunities as a result of both the quality and quantity of this book shipment. IBP would like to thank the Virginia Clark Hagan Charitable Foundation for its continued support. Without foundations like this, IBP's work would be impossible. IBP would like to thank Joyce Lockhart for her tireless efforts to promote literacy around the globe as well as all who donated books for this shipment. Back to news