ALIN family in tears of joy as news of ATLA Award trickles in.

Young children reading story books

 Arid lands Information network ALIN is the 2011’s winner of Access to Learning Award (ATLA). The award is given each year by the foundation's Global Libraries initiative, as a recognition for innovative efforts of public libraries or similar organizations outside the United States to connect people to information through free access to computers and the Internet’’.

 The award is a timely recognition of ALIN's noble idea of connecting the marginalized communities in the Arid and semi Arid regions of East Africa with knowledge by setting up 12 (Maarifa) Knowledge centers.  

 The centers are used by communities to access information and share knowledge via internet, library material including books, CD Roms, computers and word of mouth. 

Outreach activities are organized where communities interact and engage in information sharing through many ways customized suit their needs. 

The 12 maarifa centres are also important dissemination points for ALIN's publications like the Boabab, Joto Africa and a wide range of information materials to meet the needs of the communities.