DALA Library

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DALA Library

A village library in Kenya that inspires each child to dream big, love learning and explore the rest of their world one book at a time because reading is fun.

Dala means home in the native Dholuo language from Kenya, East Africa and usually refers to one's home in the rural village. DALA Library is a fun place for children to read books that are not easily accessible to a majority in the village while encouraging a reading culture and improve literacy levels. DALA Library is an engaging space for the children to indulge in a variety of literature from Africa and the entire global library.

04/02/2026

Today is World Read Aloud Day!

Reading aloud builds language, confidence, and connection.
Because of our community of supporters, moments like this happen every day at DALA Library.
We’re quietly working on something special — a new way to share some of our favorite children’s storybooks from African with you. No spoilers just yet… so stay tuned!

Support the joy of reading aloud — donate or learn more via the link in our bio.

22/01/2026

As we step into a new year, our hearts are full of gratitude. Before the year closed, we successfully transported 5 trunks of children’s books to DALA Library in MUA Hills, Machakos County, Kenya.

These trunks carried more than stories.
They carried curiosity.
Comfort.
Possibility.
A quiet space where children can read, dream, and imagine.

Today, DALA Library continues to serve our village with love, care, and consistency.
Our monthly running costs are $160, covering essentials that keep the doors open and the shelves accessible. As we nurture this space, we’re also working toward an even bigger dream — opening a new village library so more children can experience the joy of reading.

✨ How you can help:
If our work speaks to you, we invite you to donate or share our donation link. Every contribution — big or small — helps keep stories flowing and futures growing.

Thank you to every well-wisher, donor, and friend who walked with us this past year. Here’s to a new year of turning pages, building community, and spreading the joy of reading — one book at a time.

🔗 Donation link in bio

CommunityCare LiteracyForAll FromDalaWithLove

09/03/2025

It’s been incredible watching our young readers immerse themselves in the world of books! Each day, more children from neighboring primary and secondary schools visit our library in Mua Hills, now home to over 1,000 books (and counting!). Your generous donations have made this possible, and we’re thrilled to share that our next big dream of opening a library in Ratta, Kisumu is still going strong.

To keep the magic of reading alive, we rely on $200 per month for rent, utilities, and our dedicated librarian’s salary. If you’d like to sponsor a month’s upkeep and help us continue to spark curiosity and a love for reading, please reach out!

Thank you for believing in our mission to bring books closer to every child. Together, we’re building a brighter future—one page at a time.

04/12/2024

Loaded up and heading out to the dreamers in Mua Hills, Kyasila County!
With love from Savannah, GA to Kenya's savannah.

07/09/2024

In our little village library nestled in the heart of Kyasila, Machakos County,we keep our doors open to young adventurers ready to explore stories from around the globe.

We can’t help but reminisce about the magic of falling in love with reading. Do you remember that moment when you first discovered a book that you couldn’t put down? A story that transported you to a world filled with adventure? Which book did that for you?

The library has become a cherished haven for the children of Kyasila village, who come running in after school or when they need a break from their play. With bright eyes, they’re eager to explore the worlds contained within each book. It’s more than just a library; it's the best hangout spot in the community, a place where imagination flourishes alongside friendship. Here, in this 20 x 13 room, children can transition from their afternoon adventures to a magical realm of storytelling, letting their imaginations take them to far-off lands and fantastical experiences. What better place for children to gather than a space that not only celebrates their youthful exuberance but also encourages them to dream boldly and creatively? We're especially loving these cute wonderful books from .ke

We invite you to be a part of this dream by donating books, funds, or your time. We’re looking for storytellers and book readers. Soon we’ll have the children start writing their own stories, so please get in touch with us when you feel moved to help in any way. Donate, share, or spread the word.

Asante! 🙏✨

05/02/2024

🎉📚 Happy 1st Birthday to DALA Library in Kyasila, Mua Hills, Machakos County, Kenya, East Africa! Ariririririri 💃🏾

📆 Over the past 365 days, we've proudly kept our doors wide open for 305 days, welcoming and serving upto 10 curious children each day with the treasure trove of 710 storybooks nestled on our shelves 🌈✨

It's been challenging, but the unwavering support from the Kyasila community has been our driving force. 🏡💙 Families have been turning up, encouraging their little ones to explore the wonders of the library. To each and every one of you, THANK YOU!

🌟 As we reflect on this past year, our hearts swell with gratitude and excitement for what's to come. We aspire to do more – source even more captivating storybooks from around the world, organize enchanting storytelling activities, host inspiring artists' workshops, and extend our reach through community outreach to nearby schools. 🌍📚

But for today, we celebrate! 🎉 We celebrate the bright and curious Kyasila children and their supportive parents. We celebrate our amazing librarian, Joshua, whose dedication has made this journey so special. We celebrate our donors and patrons for being the pillars of strength. We celebrate the brilliant authors who weave magic into children's books, and we salute all the libraries that make these wonderful stories accessible to all. 🙌📚

Here's to a year of growth, learning, and spreading the joy of reading! 🎂📖

13/10/2023

🌞 Greetings, beautiful people! On this day, despite the chilly winds of Mua Hills, the children of Kyasila Preparatory School were all bundled up, eager to dive into the world of knowledge with their amazing teacher, Mrs. Margaret Ngina Ndongoi.

✋📚 When asked who's excited to visit the children's library, their hands shot up in a heartbeat! Their enthusiasm was simply infectious! Thanks to your incredible generosity, the children will be visiting the library every week as part of their lesson with their teacher to read some fun storybooks. A kind-hearted well-wisher even donated a bookshelf just in time for the new books that arrived.

📚✨ Joshua, our dedicated librarian, has been working tirelessly to share the joy of reading with these bright young minds. He's been recording and repairing the books, keeping the library s***k and span, and ensuring everything is in perfect order.

💰 Currently, our monthly running costs are at $150. Link in Bio to contribute towards this.
We're putting our thinking caps on to brainstorm some ideas to keep the library doors wide open and engage the curious minds who walk through them. 🧠📖

Your continued support is invaluable, and together, we can make sure that the children of Kyasila Prep School have a world of knowledge and inspiration at their fingertips. 🙌 Let's keep this incredible journey going! 💪💙

Donate, share, or spread the word - every little bit counts, and your kindness is the beacon that lights the path for these young learners. 🌟

14/09/2023

This is Mua Hills, Machakos County, Kenya. families
Nî muvea!

Dala means home in the Luo language. Dala is where family come together.
Now, DALA Library is providing a space for children in my home village to read books from around the world.

13/07/2023

Gratitude & blessings to our Savannah, GA community, for donating and helping us get these children's books to Kenya.

🙏🏾Special thanks to former 8th grader David Wilson, who, before bridging onto high school, hosted a book drive through the Ellis Beta Club.
🙏🏾Our new friends and teachers from the Charles Ellis Montessori Academy through the support of and the Ardsley Park neighbors.
🙏🏾The Community Engagement team at and our local chapter, The Islands Library
🙏🏾Much love together with their welcoming vendors; we look forward to being back to the market.

Asante sana!
Thank you very much!

24/04/2023

Celebrating World Book Day this weekend was an incredible experience! Kind neighbors, friends, and the community came through with lots of books to share. Beautiful books and lovely weather!
Thank you for your support.

And the Islands community and the Ardsley Park neighborhood of Savannah, GA.

book day

22/04/2023

We're having our very first book drive in Savannah! 🤩

04/02/2023

Upto 63 children came to help us open the library today and we're so glad to share these storybooks with them!
Gratitude and love goes out to all of you who donated books, funds and your time.
With further donations, we look forward to filling up these book cases and sharing the love of reading with the children of Kyasila.

Address

Kyasila Market
Machakos

Website

http://www.dalalibrary.org/

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