Furman University
IN-24: Innovation A

The Furman Library jumped on a unique opportunity to help refugees in Malawi, Africa. In January, Asian Studies Professor Kate Kaup struck up a conversation with Janis Bandelin, director of libraries. Kaup’s sister, Virginia Palmer, was serving as the U.S. ambassador to Malawi, an impoverished country in east Africa and home to the Dzaleka Refugee Camp. The camp operates a vibrant learning center that allows refugees to take online college courses and find jobs. With space limited, though, many are turned away. Those who are denied often turn to the library for self-help. The Dzaleka Community Library, a one-room building, needed books to help students learn English and science. Furman Library staff went to work culling the shelves. After some conversation and inventory work, the request was finalized, and Furman students packed books for shipping. Soon after, 40 boxes containing 621 books arrived at the Dzaleka Refugee Camp. Furman Libraries are exploring additional ways to continue collaboration with the Dzaleka Camp. The Malawi connection continued when Fulbright Scholar and Furman professor, Suresh Muthukrishnan, began work with The Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Lilongwe, Malawi. He recognized a need for additional resources and worked with Furman's science library to send four boxes of books on GIS, Remote Sensing, Climate Science, and Environmental Science to the University.