Room to Read Blog

How One Woman's Book Club in India Has Transformed an Entire Community

The residents of the Shaoliya village in Rajasthan used to spend their evenings playing cards, but recently a new activity had become popular in the community—reading.

In 2008, Room to Read established a library at the local government primary school, but found that engaging parents in their children’s literacy habits was an uphill task. “We had a hard time explaining the benefits of a library to the parents and teachers who were resistant to this change,” says the library facilitator.

Then one day, Sita Kimari—a long-time resident of Shaoliya who was educated only up to fifth grade—decided to check out the school’s new facilities. “I was attracted by the large illustrations, even though I couldn’t read the books,” she says. “As a child, my father always forbade me from reading and wanted me to help him in the fields instead, but there was something welcoming about the library.”

Sita began to make regular visits to the school library whenever she had spare time. “I would sit in the room and try to read the lines written below the illustrations,” she recalls. “The librarian helped me to overcome my fright of reading, and now I can read some books aloud with confidence.”

After she had experienced the value of the library, Sita offered to help our team engage the rest of the community. Some villagers, she said, saw school as a place for children only, which kept them from using the library. In an effort to remove that stigma, Sita began to check out a few books at a time from the school library and issue them to friends and neighbors. She also started a reading club and discussion forum with other women in the village.

Soon the large courtyard in front of Sita’s house had turned into a nightly reading corner—filled to the brim with adults and children devouring books in their local language. Sita keeps a meticulous register of all checkouts and even attended a training put on by our local team on how to tell stories effectively, for those in her community who cannot read at all.

These efforts, combined with the students’ enthusiasm for reading have had an immense effect on the community’s priorities. “Each evening, I look forward to coming to Sita’s house to read these books,” says Dhanraj Choudhary, a neighbor. “The simplicity of language and ideas in these books makes them attractive.”

Dhanraj has quickly become a regular of Sita’s book club. “I have stopped playing cards in my spare time,” he says. “Instead I read books.”

Learn more about our School Library program and about our work in India.

Floating Library Boosts Literacy in Remote Cambodian Villages

 For the water-dwelling communities of the Tonle Sap Lake in central Cambodia, commuting to school can be quite a challenge. With houses that float on the river’s ever-fluctuating surface and a population that is sustained almost entirely by fishing in the surrounding waters, there are a lot of barriers to education. School is separated from the students’ homes by a two-kilometer boat ride, so each child must learn to swim before making the daily trip to Phat Sanday Primary School.

The school rests on floating docks, and serves 358 students from three villages. Due to its relative inaccessibility, the schools in this area have largely been ignored by development efforts, but in 2009, Room to Read established a library at Phat Sanday Primary—adding more than a thousand books to the shelves and committing three years of training for the school’s staff.

“The library is my world now,” beams ten-year-old So Kim Suo. “I always come here when I have free time.”

The school's staff has noted a marked change in the students since the library opened, as well. “The school grounds used to be very quiet,” says librarian Chhun Nhork. “Now, with the new library, the sound of students reading aloud is enough to compete with the boats that roar through this area.”

The school’s principal, Heng Peng Eang, agrees. “Before, it was hard to teach because we were completely dependent on only the one textbook from the ministry of education,” he recalls. “Now, we can use different books to guide the teaching and learning process.”

Before the addition of the library, he remembers many students in the upper grades who were still unable to read at the appropriate level—a fact only exacerbated by the half-day schedule the school uses to avoid overcrowding its facilities. “Now,” he says, “they can read confidently.” 

Learn more about our programs in Cambodia.

Show and Tell: A Warm Welcome in Nepal

This post is part of the ongoing series, Show and Tell, where we bring you photos and stories collected by Room to Read team members on the road. 

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This week's Show and Tell comes from Eric Krassow, local-language publishing fellow. Eric is a leading editor from Pearson, currently "on-loan" to Room to Read exploring potential enhancements to our Book Publishing program around the globe. During a recent site visit in Nepal, Eric had the chance to meet a classroom full of eager young readers at Shree Kalika Primary School. He sent along this video of the welcome dance performed in his honor:

 

Learn more about our Book Publishing program, or find out how you can visit our work in person.

A Record of Success for One Budding Librarian in Sri Lanka

Nine-year-old Dilshi loves the library at Hedunuwewa Primary School. Ever since Room to Read launched our School Library program there three years ago, she has been a regular, having read more than 240 of its 2,600 books.

At home, the books Dilshi read allowed her to explore new ideas and places, which made her think: with school so far away, there were others in her community that could not experience such joy.

This realization, coupled with her zealous love of reading, inspired Dilshi to create her own small library at home, and she immediately got started building her inventory.

Armed with a detailed checkout log and classification system, Dilshi runs her home library with the utmost efficiency. “I checked out 11 books to my friends and family during the school vacation last December,” she says, confirming the number with a glance at her register.

“Dilshi is my good friend," says Shachini, another fifth-grader from the school. "I went to see her home library and thought it was very beautiful.”

As word of Dilshi’s home library spread, she gained more and more patrons from the surrounding area—a fact, says her librarian, that is particularly important given the district’s remote, rural setting.

“Before Room to Read and Dilshi’s library,” says the librarian, “we had to take the primary school students to another school if we wanted them to see a library full of books.”

Our team in Sri Lanka, upon seeing the effects of Dilshi’s project, awarded her with a special literacy certificate recognizing the quality of her home library.

“I’m most impressed with the records she keeps,” says the principal of her school. It’s clear that the home library project is helping Dilshi develop more than just her literacy skills.

Learn more about our School Libraries and our work in Sri Lanka.

Finding Personal Strength and a Love of Reading on the Shelves of a School Library in South Africa

Aphiwe Dyobhiso is a bright, friendly student at Mpongo Farm School in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. At 12 years old, the fourth grader—like many of her peers in South Africa—lags behind grade level in reading and writing, but her teachers are quick to point out that her latent literacy skills don’t stop her from participating in school. She enjoys storytelling exercises and works hard to keep up with her classmates.

One day during a visit to the Mpongo School Library established by Room to Read, the librarian read aloud to the students from a book called Kutheni Gugu about a mother’s struggle with HIV and AIDS.

It was clear right away how much Aphiwe loved the story, and as weeks went by the librarian noticed that she continued to check it out every library period. Despite her difficulty reading, Aphiwe would patiently sit down with the book, going from beginning to end meticulously and learning the words. She also began to recommend the book to her fellow students.

Aphiwe’s teachers and the school’s principal, Ms. Nontando Tata, were surprised at this turn of events, and it was not until learning more about the girl’s background that they understood her fascination with Kutheni Gugu.

As it turned out, Aphiwe’s mother had passed away from AIDS the previous year, leaving her to live in a one-room house with her great-grandmother and three other relatives. The story of Kutheni Gugu has helped her process her family’s tragedy and see that she is not alone in the experience.

Ms. Tata hopes that this newfound interest in reading combined with some extra help this school year will allow Aphiwe to catch up with her peers. Through a new program at the library, “Reading Buddies”, Aphiwe will be paired with an intermediate-level reader in her class that can help her to sound out the words and sentences until she becomes more comfortable reading on her own.

In addition to providing children of families affected by AIDS in South Africa with a relatable story to enjoy, books like Kutheni Gugu are also instrumental in turning the tide against the disease by helping children develop a love of reading and learning. Studies show that a child who finishes primary school is 50% less likely to contract HIV, extending the benefits of a fully-stocked library and well-trained teacher-librarians far beyond the schoolyard gates.

To learn more about our School Libraries and our work in South Africa.

Elephant Mobile Library Treats Young Readers in Laos to a Day They Will Never Forget

“Elephants are coming! Elephants are coming!” Hundreds of young voices shout in chorus, the excitement palpable. But these are not just any elephants—they are four-legged libraries!

In Laos, the Asian elephant has long been a national symbol. Since ancient times, the loveable giants have been extremely useful—from battlefields to agricultural fields—but now they’ve found a new home on the endangered species list.

In an effort to both increase public awareness of the elephants’ plight and support literacy in rural communities, Room to Read Laos teamed up with two other NGOs (Action with Lao Children and ElefantAsia) as well as the local government to implement the first ever Elephant Mobile Library.

The perfect mode of delivery for remote communities, the Elephant  Mobile Library has been an instant hit. Stocked with 640 Lao-language children’s books (many featuring elephants) and supplementary educational materials, the library’s maiden voyage included four primary schools that serve more than 1,000 students in the northern province of Xaybouly.

Today, the Elephant Mobile Library has made its way to one of those very schools, greeted by hundreds of young readers. As the elephants enter the school gates, scores of students line up dutifully—eager to get a closer look at their unusual guests. With bright eyes and wide smiles, the youngest students strain to wait their turns, bouncing up and down with excitement. Our team is surprised when none of the students seem afraid of the giant creatures, carefully approaching the elephants one-by-one, and accepting a book from the “librarians” seated atop them.

The day’s events continue with literacy games, songs, storytelling circles and comprehension exercises lead by the Room to Read team, all with a focus on elephant conservation and what individuals can do to help these creatures thrive. It’s clear from the laughter ringing through the air and enthusiastic participation that for these young readers, the Elephant Mobile Library is a welcomed addition to the curriculum.

Learn more about our School Library program and other innovative in-country partnerships.

Making Wishes Come True: A Message of Thanks

A noted American historian once said, “Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants and the ability to satisfy them.”  We couldn’t agree more!

In addition to helping children become independent readers and lifelong learners, one of the greatest benefits of a quality education is its power to expand children’s minds to a world of possibilities they never knew existed. Thanks to your support, six million children across the developing world now have access to such educational opportunities, and for this we couldn’t thank you enough.

But you don’t have to take our word for it…we met up with some of the children we work with (and their parents) to hear what they wish for now that they are getting the education they’ll need to turn their dreams into reality.

So sit back, press play and get ready to meet some of the young people whose lives have been forever changed thanks to you. From all of us at Room to Read, thank you for helping make wishes come true.

 

And for those of you still busily engaged in holiday shopping, don’t forget about our Holiday Wish List! Each gift you make in someone’s honor comes with a customizable e-card, and thanks to a few longtime Room to Read supporters, your gift will be matched up to $700,000! Unwrap World Change this holiday season, and start the new year off right.

Learn more about our programs and where we work.

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.

Hitting Another Room to Read Milestone: 10 Million Reasons to Celebrate

Today, in the Tien Giang Province of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, Room to Read celebrated a milestone eleven years in the making.

At a ceremony held at Ngu Hiep 2 Primary School, founder John Wood and the Room to Read Vietnam team delivered a brand new box of books to the school’s library, symbolizing the 10 millionth book donated to our network of over 12,000 libraries in nine developing countries.

The emblematic book, Floating Market, is a Room to Read original title produced through our Local Language Publishing program, which comprise more than half of all books donated to date. It is also a “big book,” of which we’ve printed many in Vietnam—designed to help teachers and librarians facilitate shared reading activities.

The commemorative ceremony was indeed a moment of reflection and pride for our hard-working team, but most of all it was about the children we work with. The day’s festivities included literacy games, story time and a workshop lead by one of our talented illustrators, and attended by a bustling crowd of enthusiastic young readers.

Below are several photos of this morning’s ceremony, which we hope you’ll enjoy. After all, without our passionate community of supporters around the world, none of this would be possible. On behalf of the entire Room to Read family, thank you for joining us in our belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children, and for helping make it a reality.

 

 

Read the full press release related to our 10 millionth book milestone on our website.

Six Short Weeks: Room to Read’s First Ever (Mini) Film Festival!

Over the past year, documentary filmmakers James Connolly and Rachelle Escaravage visited Room to Read projects throughout Asia. They met the children and communities that are benefitting from our programs, and recorded their stories on film.

Now those stories are the subject of six mini-documentaries, each focusing on one aspect of Room to Read’s work promoting literacy and gender equality in education. Over the next six weeks, we’ll be releasing those videos one at a time—providing you with a closer look at our programs than ever before.

The videos will take you to India, Laos, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, inside the libraries, homes, classrooms and communities of the children we serve. So grab some popcorn, press play and enjoy the show!

 Watch the videos on our website.