For Mahera help came not only in the form of relatable characters, but also the physical comfort derived from holding onto a book. "I've carried a book or a Kindle with me during the worst times of my life. It's like a security blanket," she told me.

The hunt for a good book in Uganda's capital is not for the faint-hearted; in fact it feels like a black market.

Those who read consistently exhibit significantly greater memory and mental abilities at all stages in life.