Dr. Robert Ouko Memorial Community Library
The Dr. Robert Ouko Memorial Community Library (DROMCL) in Kenya was established as a “living memorial” to the late Dr. Robert Ouko, a beloved government servant who held many senior positions including Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, where he served until his death in February of 1990. The mystery surrounding his death will probably never be solved, but there is no mystery about the values, hopes and dreams that Dr. Ouko had for his family, community and country. Dr. Robert Ouko was an avid reader and articulate communicator with strong principles which propelled him to a distinguished service in the local, national and International community.
One of Dr. Ouko’s ambition was to create an environment of equal opportunities for all to thrive and reach their fullest potential. It is for this reason that instead of focusing on his death, his family, community, friends and well-wishers, both locally and abroad, have committed to honoring Dr. Ouko by continuing his work in Koru, the community he adopted as his own and where he died. His legacy is continuing through the Ouko Community Initiatives (OCI), a nonprofit organization whose primary objective and mission is to empower individuals through access to education and information.
The Dr. Robert Ouko Memorial Community Library officially opened in 2014 and is operated by the Kenya National Library Services in partnership with OCI. It is a high quality library and technology resource center for the community, stocked with over 45,000 books. It has become a popular hub for the community with both children and adults actively participating in study, recreational reading and other educational programs offered. The library utilizes the Kindle E-Readers provided by Ouko Community Initiatives (OCI) during the school holidays. The e-readers are loaded with local and international books and literature and are very popular with the library users who find E-learning a fresh and interesting experience compared to traditional books.
There is also a cyber cafe in the library offering internet access. Patrons can check email, do research and access a broad array of materials. The library is a Microsoft Certified Training Academy that offers certification courses to library patrons.
Other library programs include reading promotion days, Holiday reading programs, book readings, lectures and various health and agricultural programs/seminars to benefit the community. We hope to be the central location for community-wide training and information hub for teachers, students and the community at large.
“Through reading I have managed to explore the whole world, from ancient times to the future. The e-readers and the books in them also teach me how to relate to other people. I like to explore and learn new things – like the Magic Tree House Series, which enables me to travel around the world in my mind as I read,” said Gladys, a pupil at Menara Primary School.
