Outreach & referral

It was as if for the short time we were there, the boys could be transported from the hopelessness of their daily life to the possibility of the safe and nurturing environment that the Lubuto Library offers.Sally Sinn

Lubuto trains library staff to conduct effective outreach in surrounding communities to reach vulnerable and marginalized children and youth, and to establish linkages to other support services and facilities. Lubuto advocates on behalf of the rights and needs of its beneficiaries, and refer them to clinics, child protection agencies, schools and other services. This frontline identification of children in need—and connection to adults who can help them—plays an important role in the social safety net.

Outreach activities generally consist of a combination of story readings, educational games, children’s rights discussions, mentoring, and singing and dancing exercises, but they are dynamic and individually tailored to best resonate with the children and youth encountered on each visit.

Our dedicated outreach team adapts to serve the areas surrounding all three Lubuto libraries. Outreach coordinators identify places in each community where marginalized children might be who might not know about our libraries, or may not be able to visit them. Sessions have been held at playgrounds, local schools, markets, churches, and even homes.

Stories