Reading culture needs cultivating

Editor,A story published in this daily sometime in March this year spoke of a 10,000 book donation by World Vision to Ruhengeri Institute of Higher Education. 

Monday, April 06, 2009

Editor,
A story published in this daily sometime in March this year spoke of a 10,000 book donation by World Vision to Ruhengeri Institute of Higher Education. 

I wish to commend this non governmental organisation for its efforts in helping to equip our institutions of learning. 

Today’s media hype is rendering the reading culture obsolete, yet books help enrich our language and expand our imagination.

A donation like this will give students and even their lectures little excuse for not reading more widely than they already are.

More organisations should partner with government in stocking our libraries with reading material. 

I challenge corporate organisations, some of whom spend millions in Public Relation campaigns, to channel some of these funds into academic activities. 

This I believe will have a longer lasting impact on the community and may even help them achieve their overall goal of publicity. 

For example, compare the impact of  billboards that last a few months to the branding of a library wing that they may sponsor.  The latter no doubt outlives the former.

Ruhengeri