Sankara Pan-African Library and Cafe fundraiser
Donation protected
Dear wonderful supporters, followers and friends of Kusimama Africa/No White Saviors organization,
The Kusimama Africa/No White Saviors team is launching this fundraiser for our Sankara Pan-African Library and Cafe, situated in the beautiful capital city of Kampala in Uganda, to raise US $50,000.00.
Our fundraising goal for US $50,000.00 is two-fold:
- To help pay for $20,000.00 in rent owed to the landlord of the property.
- To expand the library services and the cafe space and meal offerings to enable the library and cafe to be self-sustaining through increased revenue.
Sankara Pan-African Library and Cafe’s history
The Sankara Pan-African Library and Cafe opened in Kampala, Uganda on January 3rd of 2022 during the pandemic to serve as a physical and brave safe space for community gatherings and dialogue, readings and storytelling, quiet study and reflection. A place where Pan-Africanism is experienced and celebrated and decolonization of knowledge is pursued.
The library and cafe provide free, low-cost and accessible safe spaces for community gatherings, virtual and live engagements, Pan-African educational resources and training for the local community.
The existence of the library is because of the generosity and inspiration of the No White Saviors/Kusimama Africa supporters, followers and friends.
The library opened at a really difficult time during the global pandemic and when global economies were experiencing acute slowdowns, especially in countries in Africa including Uganda.
Despite these challenges, the Kusimama Africa/No White Saviors team jumped on the opportunity when a beautiful building on a gorgeous 2-acre property in a prime location became available to rent.
The idea of a library and cafe was then conceived and it was named after Thomas Sankara, a Pan-Africanist, revolutionary, egalitarian, freedom fighter and President of Burkina Faso.
Library and Cafe services
- The library space houses books and literature primarily from people of African descent from the African continent and the globe.
- The library is open 7 days a week for the local community to come and spend time and experience unrestricted access to all the books and literature.
- The library provides free access to local writers and artists to launch their books and artworks.
- The library and cafe together provide space to host events, films, documentaries, talks and workshops.
- The John Okello Kabalega education scholarship program is funded by the library and cafe and provides two scholarships to two university students to attend Makerere University.
- The cafe provides Ugandan-style breakfast meals and snacks and indoor and outdoor sitting spaces to sit and enjoy a meal.
- The library and cafe building is on a 2-acre compound with a lush and inviting outdoor space to sit and enjoy the sunny Ugandan weather.
Fundraising goals - $50,000.00
- Due to the global pandemic in 2022 and the subsequent global economic crisis and slowdown (whose effects are still being felt today), the Sankara Library has faced financial difficulties and is in rent arrears of $20,000.00 as of the end of June. The monthly rent is $2,000.00 because the library and cafe space and compound are beautiful, and are located in the prime living and commercial neighbourhood in Kampala, centrally located and easily accessible to the local community via multiple forms of local transportation. Part of our fundraising goal is to pay off the arrears.
- We aim to expand the current space of the library to double the volume of books the library currently houses by the end of 2023.
- Expand the cafe space, increasing the seating area by more than double the current capacity and expansively expanding the meal offerings to mature the cafe into a full-service restaurant by the end of 2023. The expanded space would also enable revenue-generating initiatives such as corporate catering events, birthday celebrations, small weddings and private parties. This will increase the revenue generated exponentially and enable the library and cafe to be financially self-sustaining.
- Purchase 10 computers, with 3 to be used by library staff and 7 to be used by the library community members for free.
- Build out a digital space for the library and cafe so that the local community and global supporters and followers gain free digital access to African and Diaspora literature.
- Expand the John Okello Kabalega education scholarship to secondary and primary students.
Five-year plan
- Secure full ownership of the library and cafe premises and land by transferring the ownership of the long-term government lease from the current landlord to Kusimama Africa/No White Saviors.
- Continue to expand the library’s volume and category of books.
- Expand the library space for on-the-premises and digital workshops.
- Obtain more computers for the local community to be able to take free online courses through the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) global online education system.
- Build strong partnerships with learning institutions locally, continentally and globally that have similar goals of promoting Pan-Africanism and decolonization of knowledge.
- Build a digital repository of all the African and Diaspora literature.
- Build a strong and vibrant local and global library membership.
The Kusimama Africa/No White Saviors team is fully aware of the scary and disturbing efforts to ban and suppress books, literature and history of Black, Brown, Indigenous, African and other marginalized communities in America. We believe strongly in standing up against the tyrannical suppression of truth, facts, histories, cultures, humanity and freedoms of all marginalized communities. The Sankara Pan-African Library and Cafe house many of those books that are being banned in the US. We stand in solidarity with all marginalized communities globally that are facing threats of suppression similar to what is happening in the US.
We are deeply grateful to our supporters and followers for your continued passion for the work we do
We come to you, asking for any donations of financial support to reach the goal of $50,000.00, and further build Sankara Pan-African Library and Cafe into an educational institution that will last generations, serving the local and global community with the mission of Pan-Africanism and knowledge decolonization.
Organizer
Kusimama Africa
Organizer
Northampton, MA