Fox Lane Grad Fights Illiteracy in Africa, One Book at a Time

Poverty, drugs, HIV infection and malnutrition aren't issues that most eighth graders contend with, but the students Ariel Simons teaches struggle with them every day.

"As a diversion from their pain, drugs, alcohol and prostitution or transactional sex have become common," said the 23 year-old Fox Lane graduate and Peace Corps volunteer.

Though youth literacy rates are improving in Africa, they hover around 72 percent, as compared to 99 percent in America. "When they've been exposed to books or magazines, they were fascinated—they read together, translated together and read to younger siblings. Books would give them a safe and educational activity," said Ariel.

She believed reading could change her students' lives. She believed that reading would help them move beyond their limited conversational English, enough to score better on exams. So inspired was she by their excitement over reading that she decided to build them a library.

And from October 15 through November 15, she is collecting 1,000 books and $500 to ship the book to Moyeni High School in Quthing, Lesotho—a small country bordered by South Africa—through the African Library Project, an international nonprofit organization that coordinates U.S. book drives for African schools.

Simons has her own pain to retreat from—in September, fellow Peace Corps volunteer and friend, Thomas Maresco, was shot and killed in Maseru, Lesotho's capital. Her mother, Pound Ridge resident Donna Simons, said Ariel never once thought of returning to the U.S., as other volunteers did after the killing. "The library has also been a great diversion from her fear and grief," she said.

Resources are few at Moyeni, a school of about 800 students—Ariel uses only chalk and board to teach her students, who range in age from 12 to 20, and are often the heads of their households or supporting their family.

Though there is a rich storytelling tradition, there is no reading culture. "By doing this through the ALP and the Peace Corps, I can help make it sustainable," she said.

After graduating from Fox Lane in 2005, and the University of Rochester in 2009, Simons started with the Peace Corps in January 2010. With a little more than half of her stay in Africa to go, Simons said that she and future volunteers would work with local teachers to integrate the library into the school culture.

Though her primary job is to instruct in math and science, she covers much, much more: she also teaches safe sex, HIV prevention, nutrition, study skills, agriculture and English. She also works on making their laboratory functional and shows teachers how to use it; she's started a creativity club; brought Kick 4 Life—an organization that teaches HIV prevention through sports—to the community, and she coaches basketball and volleyball.

Rather than be frustrated by the problems that might seem insurmountable to others—or live in fear for her own safety as a volunteer—Ariel said the Peace Corps and the library project allow her to do something concrete—and it's given her family a way to help fix a problem, too.

Ariel's twin sister, Leah, is helping from veterinary school at Cornell University. Her older sister Rachel, a Barclays employee who lives in Hoboken, NJ, is also publicizing the project.

"My sister is truly amazing—we miss her, but nothing makes me more proud than knowing we are helping her to change the world," said Leah, who has been given the Sesotho name "Itumeleng," by Ariel's students, which means "to be proud."

Rachel couldn't imagine a childhood without books—one her favorite childhood memories is of reading The Little Prince. "When my sister wrote to me about the project, and explained how excited the students were to read the books, it brought tears to my eyes," she said.

It's no surprise that the highest praise comes from Ariel's mother, who is collecting all of the books at her Pound Ridge home. "Ariel has broken down barriers in Lesotho and created an environment that fosters dignity, self esteem and respect for others," said Donna. "This library is one of the most important gifts she can give to her community."

The family says it's a difficult task now to ask for monetary donations, but they hope people will donate books, money for shipping, or their time to pack the books up.

In the meantime, Ariel rises each day at 5 a.m. to walk to school, teach, tutor and organize activities for her students. She handles the hundreds of emails from people who want to help with the library. Many cite the emotional attachments to their book collections, but for Ariel, they want to donate them anyway.

She said the book drive is finally giving them a reason to let go.

New and used kindergarten through 6th grade books, such as picture, reference and early readers, can be dropped off or mailed to Donna Simons, 22 Westchester Avenue, Pound Ridge, NY 10576.  Books must be received by November 15th, 2010.