A Tsawwassen girl has written and illustrated her own book to help kids in Africa.
Teagan Read, 8, was inspired after seeing a June story in the Optimist about a team of locals heading to Kamuli, Uganda to help build a well and clean water system at the Good Samaritan Community Nursery and Primary School.
Read, who enjoys drawing, painting and writing, said she created her book, titled Kya's Treasure, to help "the kids in Africa to have clean water."
The book tells the story of a young African girl on an extraordinary quest for a special treasure on one hot, sunny afternoon.
"When Teagan heard that 350 children lived in the village and didn't have a clean supply of drinking water, she immediately wanted to help," her book states in the About the Author section. "She decided to write and illustrate this book to raise funds to help build wells in Kamuli, Uganda and in other areas of Africa."
She had also recently studied the region at school.
"It was great seeing her right from the start, having the idea and seeing it actually come to life. It's pretty neat she ... finished it and we've got it to this point," said Teagan's mom, Catherine.
The whole team was "blown away" that Teagan made a book after seeing the story in the Optimist, said Steve Kovacs. Kovacs, one of the locals heading on the trip to Uganda later this month, has made several humanitarian trips to Africa.
Teagan has a book signing scheduled for Saturday at Albany Books in Tsawwassen from 2 to 4 p.m. Kya's Treasure is available from Albany Books, Black Bond Books in Ladner and online at Amazon and createspace.com.
Her book sells for $12 locally. The price varies online.
