Kenya Project

Soma Safari, meaning “reading adventure” in Swahili, is a collaborative early literacy pilot program launched in Nairobi, Kenya. Developed through a partnership between San José State University’s School of Information and leading organizations—including the Kenya National Library Service (KNLS), Knowledge Empowering Youth Libraries (KEY), Little Free Library, and Books for Africa—the project installs six community-based book-sharing libraries in key locations such as hospitals, schools, and shelters serving children ages 4 to 8.

Each handcrafted Little Free Library is filled with carefully selected children’s books that are age-appropriate, culturally affirming, and locally relevant. To extend the reading experience, QR codes on the libraries link users to rotating digital content, including interactive stories and celebratory media, encouraging family engagement and digital exploration. KNLS will monitor usage and literacy outcomes to assess the model’s effectiveness and support potential expansion across Kenya and beyond.

Rooted in partnership and local empowerment, Soma Safari aims to build sustainable, inclusive book ecosystems in communities where access to literacy materials is limited but the enthusiasm for learning is strong.

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Project Partners

Kenya National Library Service | KEY School Libraries | Little Free Library | Books for Africa | San José State University

Key Features and Impact

• Expanding Access to Books
   Handcrafted book-sharing libraries will be placed in high-traffic community spaces such as children’s hospitals, elementary schools, and shelters—bringing free books directly to the children who need them most.
• Sustainable, Hybrid Literacy Ecosystem
   Integrated QR codes offer families access to rotating digital content tied to local holidays, national celebrations, and current events—extending the literacy experience beyond the printed page.
• Data-Informed Impact and Growth
   With the support of the Kenya National Library Service (KNLS), library usage will be monitored to assess engagement, track literacy outcomes, and inform future scaling of the model across other regions.
• Locally Rooted, Globally Supported
   While backed by international organizations, Soma Safari is driven by local partnerships, voices, and cultural relevance—ensuring authentic, community-centered impact.

Significance of this Initiative

Early and sustained access to books is one of the strongest predictors of long-term academic achievement. According to research from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 2019), U.S. students with more books in the home consistently perform better on literacy assessments. While the NCES study was conducted in the United States, its findings are broadly considered applicable in other contexts, including Kenya, where similar dynamics around access, engagement, and early literacy development are observed.

Moreover, culturally relevant materials are essential to fostering reading engagement by third grade—a critical benchmark in a child’s educational journey. A landmark longitudinal study by Hernandez and Casey (2011) found that third-grade reading proficiency—not race—is the strongest predictor of graduation, with non-proficient readers four times more likely to drop out of school.

Soma Safari responds directly to these findings by placing free, culturally affirming books in community micro-libraries. By providing Nairobi’s children and families with stories that reflect their identities and experiences, the initiative helps build the foundational literacy skills vital for lifelong learning and success.

Spotlight on Kenyan Children’s Books and Authors

Stories that authentically reflect children’s identities and local culture play a crucial role in the development of strong literacy skills. Some featured authors and titles include:

• Our World Kenya by Maïmouna Jallow
• A Tasty Maandazi by Kwame Nyong’o
• Lulu Kitololo’s vibrant illustrated work
• Nikita Abuya’s Kenyan folktale-inspired stories
• Sitawa Namwalie’s poetic, child-friendly storytelling

These literary works showcase the beauty, languages, food, wildlife, and imagination inherent in Kenyan experience.