Katonah woman has library built in her name in Africa

After visiting Africa last year, Vicky Tuccillo had no idea that it would change her life. In July, the Vicky Tuccillo Mbiriizi Library was built and named in her honor in Uganda.


"It is just amazing," said the 43-year-old Katonah resident. She said that she first visited the country in June 2007.

"I was always interested in going to Africa, but I was very skeptical because I have two children and I did not know how safe it was," said the stay-at-home mother. "But then I met Sylvia Allen at a travel expo in 2006."

Sylvia Allen, 71, is the founder of Sylvia's Children, a nonprofit organization established in 2003. The organization supports the Mbiriizi Primary School in Masaka, Uganda.

"I decided to start the organization after I was adopted by the kids from the school as their grandmother," said the Holmdel, N.J., resident.

There are 907 children in the school from ages 4 to 14, of which 267 are orphans.

After realizing that it would be a great opportunity, Tuccillo traveled to Uganda for 12 days with a group of 12 and worked at the school taking inventory and getting sponsorship and funding.

"It was just great. I cried every day when I left because I missed them," she said. "Some of the kids are orphans and some have AIDS, but as poor as they are, they would only ask you for the basic necessities such as backpacks or paper. They never asked for iPods or Xboxes."

After realizing just how dedicated she was to helping children in Africa, her husband, Jeff Tuccillo, 45, donated $10,000 in her name to have a library built in Uganda as a Christmas gift last year.

"She was very much into helping children in Africa, and it was her passion," said the businessman. "I did it because I knew that it is something that she would love and it would mean something to her."

"It was a nice surprise. He has never been there with me, but he knew how passionate I was about this," she said.

On her second trip this past July, she saw the 2,500-square-foot library.

"It is a beautiful library," she beamed. "But there are no books, and we need money for books."

Tuccillo plans to go back to Uganda next June and hopes to do more for the school.

"People like Vicky and her husband are rare treasures," said Allen. "Their kind and generous hearts are greatly appreciated by the organization and the children at the school. They are making a difference."

Tuccillo said she is also looking forward to seeing the library filled with books one day.

"It is so amazing how we take these things for granted," she said. "Our children have libraries and we think nothing about it. These kids have no books, no library and sometimes no paper."