When the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Tanzania on March 16, last year, Laurence Zerafa was halfway through a project aimed at updating school libraries.

As in most other countries, students were sent home to help curb the pandemic, but the former MCAST head librarian decided to stay on to complete the project and return to Malta in August as planned.

“The primary concern was that good hospital care was not available nearby and it would take a day’s journey to reach Dar es Salaam,” he told Times of Malta one year on, as he works on another project that could benefit some 35 schools in East Africa.

“The last available opportunity to fly back to the island was around Easter Sunday. After careful thought and prayer, I decided to stay in Tanzania and finish my work,” he said.

This was the second time that Zerafa had flown to the east African country as a volunteer with the Church NGO Voluntiera Lajċi Missjunarji to upgrade libraries at Salesians of Don Bosco church schools.

Beneficiary libraries in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda

Among others Zerafa installed an off-the-shelf software system to electronically catalogue library books.

After introducing the system in Dodoma between 2017 and 2018, Zerafa, now retired, headed to Didia, in the Shinyanga region and Mafinga, in the Iringa region, where in 2019 and 2020 he also trained library staff, lecturers and students.

But soon after he returned to Malta in August of last year, three benefactors who had sponsored the library work expressed interest in supporting future projects.

So, Zerafa collected books, magazines, DVDs and stationery items to be shipped to Dar es Salaam to supply several school libraries.

There are currently 35 beneficiary libraries in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda run by Salesians, Jesuits, Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Sisters of Notre Dame.

While expenses to cover the container to transport the items are being covered by a local sponsor, Zerafa needs help with sorting out and packing the material.

And just like he has done to help update libraries, Zerafa is meanwhile also working on helping a Salesian school in Didia to build and equip a chemistry laboratory.

Anyone who would like to help out, whether financially or to volunteer some of their free time, can get in touch on laurencezerafa@hotmail.com

One can also look up the Facebook page ‘Donate Books for Libraries in Tanzania’ for details.