Project · South Kivu · since 2024
Lwiro-Biblos: saving a scientific heritage of the Great Lakes
Since September 2024, UJUZI-SS and its partners have been running Lwiro-Biblos, a project to modernise the central library of the Lwiro Natural Sciences Research Centre (CRSN-Lwiro) in South Kivu. The project is moving forward, and new international collaborations are being explored.
A rare collection, poorly protected
Heir to IRSAC, CRSN-Lwiro has held unique scientific documentation on the Great Lakes region for decades. The centre kept working through wars and crises. But its library is ageing: without maintenance, historical documents are deteriorating, and the collection remains little known to researchers, students and the public.
The project
Lwiro-Biblos grew out of an initiative by three alumni of the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa: Papy Masudi (cohort 12), Grâce Maroy (cohort 52) and Yannick Mutambo (cohort 49). In September 2024, UJUZI-SS formalised it with Mwanamke Kesho Asbl, CRSN-Lwiro and the DRC chapter of YALI RLC East Africa alumni.
Three objectives:
- Renovate the facilities to protect the collections;
- Open access to resources for researchers and students;
- Run educational programmes for the community, notably on biodiversity and climate change, and host a Youth Peace Space where young people come together around peace.
What next?
We are in talks with several foreign libraries and institutions about preserving this collection and opening access to it. These discussions are still exploratory; we will share the results once an agreement is reached.
Join Lwiro-Biblos
Librarians, archivists, researchers, digitisation specialists, volunteers or partner institutions: your expertise matters.
Thanks to the CRSN-Lwiro management, the DRC chapter of YALI RLC East Africa alumni and Mwanamke Kesho Asbl for their commitment.