This story was originally published by Reasons to be Cheerful
3 min read
As Sunil Totti prepared for a job interview with an international tech firm recently, he was hit by a sudden anxiety: What if the electricity failed midway through? At home in Eastleigh, Nairobi, the power was notoriously unreliable. But that anxiety was quickly replaced by reassurance: “I know a place where I can go,” he realized. The nearby Eastlands Library offered free internet, computers, supportive fellow job seekers and a quiet space.
This moment crystallized what the library had become to Totti: dependable infrastructure for a career he was trying to build.
The 26-year-old graduated in 2023, studying accounting initially and then turning to software development, with the aim of combining both disciplines in a career in fintech. He remembers Eastlands Library from his younger days as a “very old and dusty place” that he would actively avoid. But for the last few years, he has spent eight or nine hours a day there throughout much of the week. “This is where I work, actually,” he says.
This is exactly the kind of transformation that Book Bunk aims to achieve for Nairobi’s public libraries. Founded in 2017 by writer Wanjiru Koinange and publisher Angela Wachuka, the nonprofit has restored the Eastlands and Kaloleni libraries; and work is underway at the city’s oldest library, McMillan Memorial. The aim is not just to refurbish the buildings and replenish the shelves, but also to create a free civic hub for work, study, skills learning, culture and community.
Book Bunk’s initial creation came about through happenstance. Koinange and Wachuka were searching for a venue for a literary festival when they visited McMillan, only to find crumbling walls, a flooded basement and rotting books. While investigating who was charged with maintaining the building, the pair came across the other two branches in a similar state — and their new mission was born. But over time, according to communications manager Sharon Tarus, the project’s true purpose became clear: addressing the deeper-rooted problem of unequal access to knowledge and opportunity.
The model works on a combination of public ownership and nonprofit activation. Nairobi City Council retains the buildings and provides the core staff; Book Bunk raises funds, restores the infrastructure and runs programs.
The post Nairobi Is Transforming Neglected Libraries Into Vibrant Civic Hubs appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.
