Hakim Owiny Cycling 10,000km to Put 10,000 Storybooks Into the Hands of Ugandan Children

What the report says

Nile Post reports that Ugandan cyclist and literacy advocate Hakim Owiny is using an initiative called EduCycling to travel 10,000 kilometres across Uganda while promoting early childhood reading and collecting 10,000 children’s storybooks. The campaign is aimed at underserved communities and is built around a simple message: parents and caregivers should spend at least 15 minutes a day reading with children, or, where adults cannot read, talking with them during that time.

According to the article, Owiny’s focus goes beyond schools and classrooms. He argues that education also depends on the home environment, where children can develop reading habits and access age-appropriate books. He has been visiting schools, speaking with headteachers and asking teachers to share the reading message with parents. He also plans to create community-based book access points in 200 villages, working through schools and local literacy volunteers so families can borrow books closer to home.

The story says Owiny has already met pupils, teachers and schools on the first part of the journey, though he describes the effort as still in its early stages. He is also facing practical difficulties, including fatigue, bicycle problems and skepticism from some people about the campaign. At the same time, he has received support from several Rotary clubs, teachers, friends and media practitioners.

The broader significance is that EduCycling links literacy advocacy with community outreach in a country where access to children’s books can be limited. The article presents the project as an attempt to build a sustainable reading culture rather than a one-time ride.