How the Allendale Rotary Club is Changing Lives, Book by Book
For the Allendale Rotary Club, a story sparked a movement in 2019 when club member Kim Blum read The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, the true story of a young boy from Malawi whose curiosity and determination, fueled by access to library books, led him to build a windmill that brought electricity and water to his village. The story illuminated a powerful truth: access to books can change the trajectory of a life, or in some cases, an entire community.
Motivated by that realization, the Allendale Rotary Club began searching for ways to support literacy and education in Africa. Their research led them to the African Library Project. A partnership that quickly became a long-term one, and remains rooted in the Rotary motto, Service Above Self.
Commitment Spanning Continents
Since partnering with ALP, the Allendale Rotary Club, comprised of 20 dedicated members, has helped create libraries in Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, and Ghana, with their newest library currently on its way to Uganda.
Through ALP, the Allendale Rotary Club has partnered not only with schools and communities across Africa, but also with organizations and individuals right at home in Allendale. From public schools and libraries to resale shops and charitable organizations, book drives have become a true community effort, bringing people together around a shared purpose.
Determination on the Ground
One of the most meaningful partnerships for the Allendale Rotary Club has been with the Magetom Foundation Community Library in Uganda. What stood out immediately was the extraordinary level of commitment shown by the local community – educators, parents, and community leaders, all committed to ensuring the library’s long-term success.
When the Allendale Rotary Club received photos of the room designated for the library, unfinished and modest, it didn’t discourage them. Instead, it inspired them.
The determination to transform that space into a functioning, welcoming library mirrored the same perseverance found in The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.
Book Drives and Boxes of Hope
Organizing a successful ALP book drive requires tedious planning. For the Allendale Rotary Club, collecting the required 1,000 books meant mobilizing their entire community.
The Allendale Public School System donated gently used books that would have otherwise been discarded. Local organizations like Ripple Effect and Love INC. stepped in with generous contributions as well. The Allendale Township Library became a central hub for donated books. Key community leaders, including the school superintendent and the township librarian, played active roles in making the project possible.
Yet, for many Rotarians, the most powerful moment comes at the very end of the process: watching boxes of books leave for the ALP distribution center in New Orleans, knowing they will soon arrive in the hands of students, teachers, parents, and readers across Africa.
As Terry Van Dyken shared, “...Knowing that we’ve played a small part in getting these needed books and resources into the hands of students, school staff, parents, and community members in these African countries is the most satisfying aspect of this process.”
The Allendale Rotary Club exemplifies what it means to stand alongside libraries and the communities they serve, recognizing that books promote literacy, inspire creativity, and open doors to opportunity.
We are grateful for our partners who are helping us change lives, book by book.