Primary Colours ABC aims to help in providing the foundational “primary colours” of education giving communities the tools to shape their own futures.
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The Garden Library Uganda project supports this goal by offering a welcoming, inclusive space where absolutely anyone can come to read, learn, play, connect, and grow.
Every service we offer through the library is 100% free and open to all.
Our work began as a grassroots response to the educational crisis that followed the pandemic in Uganda. Children from lower-income families were being left behind, and internet-based solutions weren’t realistic due to the high recurring costs.
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So, we developed a practical and inclusive workaround - pre-loading SD cards with digital educational content. These were given to a number of families along with a simple smart phone so to be able to access the content.
This meant students could continue learning without relying on costly internet access.
To support this, we started Community Kitchen. A family friendly destination where people could come together, enjoy great food with profits going back into the community. The goodwill it generated led to donations of books, toys, and clothes. But simply handing them out wasn’t always effective - resources would get lost, damaged, or underused. So, we pivoted to something more sustainable: creating a beautiful, shared, permanent home for those resources which were cared for by our staff, open to all and most importantly 100% free of charge. And that’s how Garden Library was born.
Our rapid growth brought new challenges. The presence of children from different backgrounds clashed with the expectations of some neighbours in the relatively affluent area we were in. It tested our commitment to inclusion - and ultimately, we made the hard decision to relocate.
We moved into the grounds of a partner organisation whose values align closely with ours. The move meant scaling back in some ways, but growing in others - especially in resilience.
Today, Garden Library Uganda is a small but vibrant log-cabin-style hub. We offer free access to books, computer access, Wi-Fi, toys and games, simple art materials, and even free tea and drinking water - in addition to a stunning garden environment to enjoy.
Looking Ahead – Our Vision
The future is shaped by what we’ve learned so far and is guided by five core values:​
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Service & Community: Re-establishing our Rotational Library, which allowed us to deliver and regularly rotate sets of 150 books across orphanages, schools, rehabilitation centres, and hospitals every six weeks - this service had to be scaled back due to funding and the very high cost of relocating. ​
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Collaboration: Organising a formal network of similar organisations to strengthen resource-sharing and jointly apply for funding. The groundwork was laid through the Rotational Library so when / if we re-establish the rotational library service we will aim to make it official.​
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Inclusion & Accessibility: Launching micro-libraries in village and slum-area shops - bringing books even closer to children and families who need them most.​
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Innovation: Returning to our digital roots by creating a copyright-free digital library of educational content, in partnership with teachers and authors around the world all shared for free.​
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Integrity: Re-establishing a self-sustaining funding model through our website to reduce dependence on donations and secure our independence.
Again, thank you for taking an interest in what we’re doing. We’re not entirely sure where this journey will lead - but we’re hopeful, and determined to see how far we can take it.​
This was just a brief overview. If you - or anyone you share this with - have any questions or would like to dig deeper into a particular aspect, feel free to reach out.​
Warmest regards,
​James Arthur