Room to Read Blog

Why I'm Lucky: Guest Blog by Eight-Year-Old Jazmin Zage

Transcription: My name is Jazmin Annabelle Aiko Zage. I am 8 years old. I am American and live in Singapore. On November 3rd, 2011 I went to Cambodia with my family to visit schools and libraries that were built by Room to Read. When I visited a school I realized how lucky I was. I learned that most schools don't have libraries or many books. It made me think of my huge library at the Singapore American School. I thought I was very lucky that my mom and dad have enough money to send me to such a good school.

I noticed that the kids at the school were very happy even though they didn't have much. The children were very friendly. I got to go into a classroom and participate in their writing lesson. One of the students taught me how to write Cambodian words.

I think Room to Read has really helped these Cambodian children. But there are still so many children to help.

Learn more about our Students Helping Students program, or how you can visit our work in person.

Catching up with a Girl Graduate in Laos: Bountham's Big Day

In many ways, Bountham is a typical 19-year-old girl: she loves designing clothes, dreams of traveling the world and was recently accepted to college. Her path to becoming the bright, vivacious girl she is today, however, was anything but typical.

Bountham is the second-oldest of six children from a small village in the Salavanh Province of Laos. Her father is a farmer by day, who sells ice cream in the evenings, and her mother gathers bamboo and mushrooms in the forest near their home to be sold at the village market. “I come from a family where being able to attend school was considered to be a luxury,” says Bountham, who was accepted into Room to Read’s Girls’ Education program in the seventh grade when her family could no longer afford the fees.

Focused and hard-working, Bountham not only continued her studies through graduation last June, but finished at the top of her class—placing in the top 4 percent of the 1,257 graduates in her district.

“I learned to become a confident adult from the Girls’ Education program,” she says with a smile. Charming and self-assured, she is the picture of responsibility—taking care of her younger brothers during the day, and husking rice in her spare time to contribute to the family’s income.  

“I am motivated to continue in school and get a good job so that I can provide a better life for my parents as they get older,” she tells our team, and on the day we visit her house, she is one step closer to that goal.

"Today is a very special day,” says Bountham. “I just got news that I have got admission in the Salavanh Training College.”

“I want to become a teacher and help the other girls in my village get an education,” she shares, citing her social mobilizer, Ms. Phany, as inspiration.

“Room to Read helped me to move out of the shadows of poverty—I know now that my dreams will come true.”

Meet more graduates from our Girls' Education Program.

Decades After Helping Build his Community's First School, One Man's Commitment to Education Endures

Summer in the Dhading district of Nepal can be brutally hot, and the red clay (for which the region is known) doesn’t help. On most days, few would venture outdoors in such weather—taking shelter in their homes, but there is one man who remains undaunted by the sweltering temperatures.

At 78 years old, Buddhi Bahadur Raj is the picture of concentration, digging a wide trench in the clay. Nearby, a group of assistants—many half his age—dig alongside him in rhythmic unison. As the day wears on, the small crew is joined by many others from the village carrying shovels, pick-axes and whatever other tools they can find. Despite the oppressive heat, there is a palpable air of festivity among the group.

They have gathered here today to build a new school for their children, and everyone looks to Buddhi Bahadur Raj for direction.  He is the leader today not only for his expertise in engineering and architecture, but also for his unwavering passion for education.

Decades ago in this same spot, Buddhi Bahadur Raj volunteered his labor to help construct the original building for Shree Rakta Bachala Secondary School. Originally built to accommodate only one village, the school now serves students from the surrounding area as well and needs more space to alleviate overcrowding. Room to Read has partnered with the community to add new classrooms and better restrooms.

“It has been very difficult for our students to study because the old classrooms are very small in size,” says Mr. Acharya, the school’s headmaster. “Now they can easily move from one place to another and focus on their class work."

Mr. Acharya credits the community for the new school building coming to fruition, and Buddhi Bahadur Raj for his leadership. “When Rai learned that we were going to add another building he was very happy and promptly volunteered to help, even though we were hesitant to have him do such physical labor,” he says.  Buddhi Bahadur Raj was insistent, however, and as Mr. Acharya puts it, “he was the first one here this morning—ahead of all the others.”

Learn more about our School Room program.

Show and Tell: On Air with our Girls Education Scholars in India

Today’s show and tell post comes from Sukanya Sen, communications officer for Room to Read India. The photos feature some of our Girls’ Education scholars who had the chance to appear on one of India’s most popular radio stations, 92.7 Big FM, in honor of International Literacy Day. 

On the station’s breakfast show, a group of fifth grade girls introduced themselves and read aloud from one of Room to Read’s local-language books, “Power of Friendship.” They also sang songs and spoke with the host about their favorite Bollywood heroes. Later on, some of the older girls in our program shared their stories of struggle in finishing secondary school and how Room to Read has helped.

 

Library in Cambodia Helps One Reluctant Reader Rise to the Top of Her Class

Narin is a bright young second grader from Chombok He Primary School in Siem Reap. Her wide smile and enthusiasm make it hard to believe that this little girl has already experienced incredible hardship.

After his wife passed away a few years ago, Narin’s father, an army man, was forced to relocate to the Thai border. He left his daughter behind to live with her grandmother, who earns a meager living selling rice noodles at the local market.

Narin’s day starts at the break of dawn helping her grandmother with household chores and assisting with preparation of the noodles. Unable to afford a bicycle, she then walks a mile and a half to school, rushing so as to have time in the library before class.

“The library period is too short and not enough for me, so I make extra time to go there whenever I can,” she says with a smile.

Narin has not always been such an enthusiastic reader, but ever since Room to Read established a library at her school in 2010, she is a regular visitor. She loves playing with the puzzles and games there, and knows where to find all her favorite books by heart.

“I read about eight books each day, and borrow two or so to take home with me at a time,” she says. “I read those stories aloud to my grandmother who is very proud of my skills and also to my uncle who is in seventh grade.”

“Ever since she started going to the library, Narin’s reading skills have improved considerably,” says Narin’s teacher. “She can now read at a third grade reading level, and is a role model for other students in the school.”

Narin plans to put her academic prowess to good use, and has set some very ambitious career goals for herself. “I want to be a doctor, so that I can help people,“ she says. “ I am working hard to get there and I am confident that I will be able to fulfill my dreams.”

Learn more about our work establishing libraries.