8 minute read
Rachael McDonald: Di Cawna Library
Empowering Communities and Restoring Hope
By Rebekah Amoroso
She was a Babysitter and started a baby-sitters club at fourteen. At sixteen she started a summer camp and began tutoring kids. Little did she know then that she would become a community icon and advocate for literacy. Books and literature have governed her thinking and way of being all of her life. And sharing that passion has been a lifelong commitment. Rachael MacDonald is a pioneer and advocate for changing community dynamics through a common, shared interest in books.
In the heart of Jamaica, amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life, there lies a beacon of hope – the Cawna Library. But this isn't just any ordinary library; it's a symbol of resilience, community empowerment, and a testament to the transformative power of books and the persistence of one woman – Rachael MacDonald.
From its humble beginnings as a simple idea sparked from a casual conversation, the Cawna Library, designed as a sustainable literacy project, has grown into a lifeline for countless individuals, particularly the youth, in underserved communities across Jamaica.
Rachael McDonald is a trained educator and early childhood specialist, and who deliberated at how best to make reading an early intervention in the education value chain – particularly in communities where there was no easy access to library or in communities where books outside of the school curriculum were seen as an unaffordable luxury.
The first such library is located at the corner of Duff and Moore Streets in Rose Town on Jamaica's south coast, giving the project the name - Di Cawna Library. Initially established to support objectives of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting access to quality education for both adults and children, while building sustainable and peaceful communities, today, four years later, the project has since launched its fourth Cawna Library. Two additional libraries were established in Providence Heights in Montego Bay, St James, and Billy’s Bay, Treasure Beach in St Elizabeth. A fourth location was opened in St James at the end of last year.
The Caribbean Concept of Di Cawna
To understand the genesis and value of Di Cawna Library, would require a quick dive into Caribbean culture and its relationship to Di Cawna (The Corner). Attitudes and customs are shaped by our social spaces, and the corner is a traditional gathering space in every territory. Street crusades, parties, sports, political commentary are things that have become associated with the corner – as the indisputable platform of the common man. Small grocery items and even lollies and local sweets can be bought at the corner shop. At the corner we would also have the village sages, the community wisemen and arbiters, playing dominoes or cards while brokering or ‘reasoning’ solutions to community problems and challenges. Or the storytellers of things past or mystical – much like the Griot in Trinidadian folklore.
However, in more recent years, with the continued flow of Western culture and criminal influences, The Corner has overtime become associated with things more nefarious and notorious such as gangs, guns and drugs. Mothers would warn their children about hanging out on the corner and even on occasion share ‘lix’ when their children were founding flouting those warnings.
Reclaiming Di Cawna space
By reclaiming the corner with Di Cawna Library, Rachael MacDonald has inadvertently reclaimed the corner as a social space for communities. The locations generally have no librarians or attendants. Community members are free to come by any time, day or night, to select books for reading, and once they are finished, they can simply exchange them for others. The notion of a library where the community members themselves are the librarians also reintroduces the traditional sense of each one caring and being responsible for all; thereby dismantling factions and personal differences with hope. It’s a hope that children and people can leverage literacy to break the cycle of poverty and community violence, to achieve their full potential as meaningful contributors to a better Jamaica, a better Caribbean.
Rachael has seen grown men relinquish their benches reserved for drink and smoke for the kids to have a Cawna Library and their own social space. In an ironic twist, the feared corner and the tough men on the corner have become nurturers, facilitators, and promoters of books and reading as a catalyst for change.
The Library
Di Cawna Library was created out of a street ‘reasoning’ in the Rose Town community. There was a gathering and shared concern about uplifting the community and improving the quality of life of their children. Getting them passionate about school meant first, fostering a love of books. This is how the idea was sparked.
Di Cawna Library is no sophisticated set-up. It is more of an organic, authentic space, pulling together scraps and bits from the community to make rooms for reading and ideas exchange. Old refrigerators which would usually end up in waterways creating flooding and mosquito breeding sites, are repurposed into book cupboards. So too are old wooden pallets for tables and benches, and sheets of zinc which create shelter from rain and sun. The library also serves as community centre for educating and providing information on health issues, environment and social services.
Everyone can see there is a noticeable change in Rose Town – not just in what happens on the Di Cawna but how the community relates. Today Di Cawna at Rose Town is more than a library, it is a place for musical expression and spoken word activity – an importantly, a safe space for toddlers to the aged. Today , Rose Town’s Cawna Library has over 1,000 titles ranging from novels, biographies and self-help texts and picture and story books. Teachers volunteer to do remedial reading after hours; the community comes together to initiate projects like beach clean-ups and kitchen gardens and culture shows. This has inspired Rachael and others to build on concept of the library as a sustainable and inclusive means of healing, strengthening and empowering community.
Challenges
However, the road to success was not without its challenges. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought to light the harsh realities faced by many communities, exacerbating existing issues such as the digital divide and socio-economic disparities. Lawsuits against schools and the closure of educational programs further compounded these challenges, leaving many children without access to essential resources and support systems.
In the face of adversity, Rachael and her team refused to be deterred. They turned to corporate sponsors to address the lack of devices, inconsistent internet access, and to government resources to address a threatening creep back of criminal activity. But in the midst of adversity, the true spirit of community resilience shone through.
In areas designated as zones of special operations, they engaged with community members, listening to their needs and working together to address them. The result? The birth of the Cawna Library – not just one, but multiple community libraries, each serving as a sanctuary of knowledge and opportunity.
These libraries, equipped with essentials such as books, texts, and even Wi-Fi, have become more than just a place to read – they are hubs of empowerment and transformation. Through initiatives such as community outreach programs, remedial classes, and youth clubs, the Cawna Libraries are catalysts of change, empowering individuals to chart a new course for their futures.
But perhaps what sets the Cawna Library concept apart, is its grassroots approach to change. Rather than imposing solutions from the top down, it commands meeting people where they are, respecting their unique circumstances, and empowering them to drive change from within. This bottom-up approach has not only fostered a sense of ownership and pride within the community but has also led to sustainable, long-term impact.
From Rose Town to Treasure Beach, the ripple effects of the Cawna Library are evident. Benches once occupied by individuals engaging in harmful activities are now spaces for community gatherings and learning. In Treasure Beach, where education was once a distant dream for many, children now have access to resources that ignite their passion for learning and unlock their potential.
But perhaps the true measure of success lies in the stories of transformation – the 13-year-old boy who learns to read for the first time, the youth who discovers a love for learning through superhero-themed activities, and the community members who come together to build a brighter future for generations to come.
In the end, the Cawna Library is more than just a physical space – it's a symbol of hope, resilience, and the power of community-driven change. As we navigate the challenges of our time, the Cawna Library is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, light can still shine through, illuminating the path to a better tomorrow.
