In March 2021, despite the challenges encountered resulting from COVID-19 restrictions, the Rotary Club of Maraval (the Club) was able to source funds from the Rotary District Grant Fund to successfully upgrade the library of the Boissierre R.C. Primary School serving some 140 students. This is the second library upgrade in the community with the first being at La Seiva R.C. Primary School in 2019 which was generously funded by corporate sponsor, Atlantic. Upgrades of primary school libraries in the Maraval community is part of the Club’s strategic education plan to improve literacy skills in students.
Principal of Boissierre R.C. Primary School, Ms. Letticia Noriega-Phillip was very pleased and said that, “The upgraded library with its beautiful ambience, new age-appropriate books and new furniture will contribute significantly to the improvement in the literacy of our 140 students and encourage them to experience the joy of reading.” It is the Club’s hope that weekly reading sessions would be conducted in the new library by Rotary members and other stakeholders to ensure maximum use of the space when schools are reopened.
To enable the upgrade, the Club once again partnered with Let’s ReadTT along with Paperbased Book Shop, a local bookstore owned and operated by one of the Club’s past presidents, Joan Dayal and who was responsible for donating books with local content. These two providers had also worked on the first upgrade of the library at La Seiva Primary School in 2019.
Ms. Giselle Holder, President of the Club, having recognized the significant impact of these renovated learning spaces in these schools and the students’ literacy journeys, has indicated full commitment to upgrading the next library in the Paramin R.C. School which serves many students in the Maraval, Paramin area and remote fishing villages of Las Cuevas.
The Club’s plan is to eventually upgrade all libraries within the five (5) schools that are under its purview in the Maraval and Rampanalgas areas.