Rotary Launches Campaign to Revive Reading Culture in Uganda

The initiative responds to a growing decline in reading habits, which many attribute to modern technology and a lack of parental encouragement for children to engage with books.

As Uganda prepares to mark National D.E.A.R (Drop Everything And Read) Day this Friday, Rotary District 9213 of Kampala has launched a nationwide campaign to promote a reading culture among Ugandans.

The initiative responds to a growing decline in reading habits, which many attribute to modern technology and a lack of parental encouragement for children to engage with books.

Throughout the week, Rotary clubs across the country will visit schools to donate books and educate students on the importance of reading.

Former Rotary 9213 Governor and pioneer of the initiative, Mike Kennedy Ssebalu, stressed the need to challenge the stereotype that Africans do not read.

He urged Ugandans to embrace reading, regardless of the language, as a means of gaining knowledge about both local and global affairs.

The national coordinator of the basic education and literacy enhancement program, Rotarian Fredrick Kitakule, highlighted the campaign’s achievements over the past four years.

These include constructing school libraries, donating books to students, and supporting other literacy-enhancing initiatives.

Rotary District 9213 President Ann Nkutu acknowledged that while technology has contributed to a decline in book reading, authors should embrace digital platforms to reach a wider audience.

Rotary members argue that the diminishing reading culture has affected literacy levels and students' comprehension abilities in classrooms.

Through this campaign, they hope to reignite a love for reading and improve literacy rates across Uganda.