This program has its origins in the “Literacy Caravan” that Jan launched to actually contribute to the international call in 1990 to promote access to education for all: “Education for all”. It was already clear that this objective could not be achieved without additional local action in a non-formal associative context. Local UNESCO clubs of volunteers are committed to this. The caravan organized interactive exhibitions and built, mainly with contributions from the UNESCO Center in the Netherlands (UCN) and UNESCO associations in Japan, about twenty so-called “learning hostels”, 11 of which are in Senegal. The design of such a learning hostel can be seen at the top of each page of this website.

In the year 2000, the Caravan project was closed and the opened learning hostels each went their own way. After this, UNESCO clubs and the municipalities where they were built were challenged with a given directive to continue their efforts. In order to receive further help from the KS and its partners, the condition was that they would be included in the “patrimoine communal” such as public schools and that the management would remain entrusted to a UNESCO club or a similar association.

The KS is currently helping a number of former learning hostels under its program “better living with acquired knowledge”, celebrating international UN theme days and realizing specific post-education activities. The promotion of the practice of reading is currently central to this.

Concrete examples of our efforts

The UNESCO club in Thionck-Essyl (Casamance), together with local schools, governments and interested parties, worked on an exhibition about the environment. This exhibition made the rounds in the schools and concluded in the Leerherberg with an evaluation, a presentation of prizes and the adoption of a statement in which everyone could agree for the construction of the future. A similar activity was organized by the UNESCO club in Keur Madiabel. This activity also concluded with a meeting and activities program in the Leerherberg, where an action plan for the future was presented.

The UNESCO clubs in Cherif Lo and Ndondol organized training seminars in micro-project management in their Learning Hostels.

The promotion of reading is currently being promoted by building libraries. Administrators are expected to submit an annual report detailing activities to promote the practice of reading. A request can also be submitted for additional literature of interest in the local community.