University of Oran update!

Posted by admin on 01.15.2008 at 3:41 pm

Another great update from Martha Schouten at the University of Oran in Algeria, recent recipient of a Better World Books-funded Books for Africa shipment. Check out previous posts here:
-University of Oran Receives BFA Books!,
-Better World Books Funds Shipment to the University of Oran in Algeria,
-University of Oran gets ready for books!,
-University of Oran update)


Dear Pat and Sarah Lynne,

Life goes by slowly here in Algeria and so do our books’ preparations. The students worked all Christmas-El Kebir vacation then I went to Spain for a week to see my son and the Algerian librarian went to Paris for a week and now we are finally back to class. Most of 300 boxes have been listed for the rector and are about ready to circulate in the large library in the language department. The rector is determined to protect the books and to keep a diligent watch on them. Students will only be able to consult the titles of the books in order to check out from the large library. For the moment there is not enough security and the students and teachers are little accustomed to any other method.

My English club members are now working on our smaller walk-through library. If this goes well then the larger library will allow walk through too.  We have to make cards for each book we have selected and also put them into the computer. Our collection comes almost last then we will make a donation to the University of Mostaganam about 30 miles East from here along the coast. The teachers have come to see me and are overwhelmed at the variety of the generous gift you have made us. The medical literature has gone to the medical school already to my knowledge and the children’s books to another children’s library near the main campus of translation and law.

I am sending a few pictures of the library permanent crew and my students. We had a barbecue of merguez (grilled mutton sausage) and all the trimmings the first day we were back in class. We are on campus not too far from the library. I hope you both enjoy them.

Martha Schouten and English students
ELF Es-Senia
Oran Algeria

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University of Oran Receives BFA Books!

Posted by admin on 12.13.2007 at 8:37 am

Just received this great email from Martha Schouten at University of Oran in Algeria:

Dear Pat and Sarah Lynne and all the people from Books for Africa and Better World Books,

I speak for all of my students at Es-Senia University Department of English when I say we are thrilled and thankful to have received in our storehouse the 688 boxes of books from you today. More than 50 of us helped to unload the truck, take pictures, and otherwise celebrate the long awaited arrival of your generous donation. After finding a safe storage room to temporarily put the books before dispatching them to the different university libraries the English club members helped me give a reception for the university workers and all the students who helped in the day’s work.

Algerians and especially the youth want so much to open up to the world, to learn languages, to visit and share ideas and to have visitors from other countries come also to visit this beautiful country so varied in culture and landscape.  Thank you again for trusting us with this wonderful gift of support in learning the English language and enlarging our knowledge of American culture. We will continue to send pictures, newspaper articles and e-mails to keep you up to date with our future activities.

Best regards,
Martha Schouten and English students
ELF Es-Senia
Oran Algeria

This is Books for Africa’s first shipment to Algeria , and the shipping was completely funded by the newly-established Better World Books Fund for Books for Africa . We’ve been following the story of this shipment since September - here are the previous blog postings:

Better World Books Funds Shipment to the University of Oran in Algeria
University of Oran gets ready for books!
University of Oran update

Here are some more pictures from the arrival!

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University of Oran Update

Posted by admin on 11.19.2007 at 7:27 am

Here’s some additional photos from Martha Schouten at University of Oran in Algeria. The shipment of books from Books for Africa should be getting there soon - we’ll have more pictures then!

Martha in a mansouria (Moroccan party dress).

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University of Oran Gets Ready for Books!

Posted by admin on 11.02.2007 at 1:14 pm

Martha Schouten, from the University of Oran in Algeria (previously blogged here) sent me this picture of her just-renovated office, featuring one of the school’s teachers and some of the English Club members. The university has enlarged the room so they can fill it with some of the books that will be coming in a Books for Africa container any day now! We’ll have more updates when the container gets there - stay tuned.

Have your say » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, algeria, better world books fund, books for africa, Impact, Our Partners, university of oran

Better World Books Funds Shipment to University of Oran in Algeria

Posted by admin on 09.12.2007 at 4:50 am

Martha Schouten, an English Language Fellow teacher at the University of Oran in Algeria , contacted Books For Africa (BFA), to see if BFA could help replenish their library with English language books after many years of neglect. Currently, the University’s books in English are dated in the 1980’s or before.

During the 1990’s Algeria experienced civil war and domestic terror. Since 1999 little has changed - militant splinter groups continue their campaign against the government, and the army continues its own campaign against the rebels, amid accusations of corruption and brutality. This has undeniably created an atmosphere of insecurity in the general population.

As over half of Algeria’s population are young people, there are many issues for Algerian students. These concern future job opportunities, information available (or unavailable) to them, and the extreme feeling of uncertainty in almost all domains of their lives. In spite of this, Martha’s students are so very eager to know as much as possible about the outside world, and to travel and study in foreign countries.

To aid the beneficiaries of BFA donations, Better World Books has created a special Fund for Books For Africa. This Fund is designed to pay for the shipping costs of these containers of books. The Fund paid $9,000 in shipping costs for this one container.

The 40-foot container of books will be heading out today to the University. It is the first shipment that Books For Africa has sent to Algeria! The demand for university books in Africa remains enormous.

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