ROTARY ROUND-UP: Interact Club students recycle old books by shipping them off to Africa

Durrington High School students have been involved in a project that helps students in Africa as well as being an important contribution to recycling.

Each week students of the school run an Interact Club in association with the Rotary Club of West Worthing.

The after-school club encourages students to help others less fortunate.

The students organise fundraising events and engage in opportunities to volunteer.

They run three projects a year; one that supports the community, a school project and an international charity campaign.

Durrington High School Interact students learnt that the school had some old numeracy books and were quick to consider how these could be used.

They heard of an organisation called ‘Recycle 2 School’ which has an initiative where it collaborates with schools in order to educate students about the importance of recycling and the needs of poorer countries by getting them actively involved.

The student team contacted ‘Recycle 2 School’ to see if these books could be donated to help where there is a shortage of books.

The students realise they are extremely lucky to have these quality resources and didn’t want the books to go to waste.

In many developing countries there is an acute shortage of learning materials to help with the education of children and especially with basic numeracy and literacy.

Most children in Africa have never owned a textbook – in many classrooms a single textbook might be shared by as many as 20 pupils.

Primary school enrolments and literacy rates in Africa are among the lowest in the world.

42 million school children in sub-Saharan Africa are not enrolled in school.

Many children cannot afford to go to or to stay in primary school.

‘Recycle 2 School’ plans to send up to three million books to Africa over the next five years.

The first of several containers left the UK for Africa toward the end of November last year to be followed by similar numbers every few weeks until they reach their target.

Over the past few weeks the students have been boxing up books ready to be shipped out to Africa.

On Thursday, February 2, the books were collected from school ready for the next container shipment.

This has been an exciting project and has made many students aware of the needs of children in poor countries while at the same time stressing the need to recycle and conserve the resources of the planet.

The students have been extremely enthusiastic and feel a sense of achievement knowing the books once used by the school will be going to help others.

Sue Virgo, West Worthing Rotary Club’s chair of the Youth Committee, said: “It is good to see the Durrington High School Interact Club so active and enthusiastic.

“They have many projects on the go, but we particularly applaud their awareness and involvement in environmental and community issues.”

Details of Worthing’s three Rotary clubs are:

• Worthing Rotary Club meets Monday, 12.55pm, at the Chatsworth Hotel, in The Steyne, Worthing, 01903 209564.

• West Worthing Rotary Club meets Tuesday evening at Tudor Close, Ferring, 01903 501961.

• Worthing Steyne Rotary Club meets Monday evening at The Ardington Hotel, in Steyne Gardens, Worthing, 01903 234957.

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