Caezaria Public Library, Buikwe
Founded in 1999 by Francis Kigobe (left), this rural community library is located in Buikwe village, 40 kilometers east of Kampala. Jane is the day-to-day librarian and Cyprian coordinates its programs and works at the library when he's home weekends from university.
A coffee farmer who went to a primary school with a library while growing up, Francis decided that the people of Buikwe would benefit from a library of their own. With his own money he bought a piece of land, built a 25’ x 80’ brick building, and purchased bookshelves, desks and chairs. His neighbors thought he was crazy, urging him to spend his money on building a disco, a shop, or rooms he could rent out. With the help of the National Library of Uganda, Francis slowly built up an impressive collection of donated books and began encouraging children and teachers to come and read.
While he has not profited personally from his venture, Francis has achieved relative fame in the Ugandan press as a philanthropic example for others to follow, with national awards and articles in newspapers about his selfless work.
UTRT provides monthly funding to cover librarian salaries, utilities and general operating costs, as well as an annual grant for buying books.