Library and Reading Initiative (LARI)
‘Reading the word to reading the world’ – Paulo Freire
Eklavya's visionary library-cum-reading initiative aims to cultivate a 'reading and exploration friendly environment' that instills the habits of reading and curiosity within children and communities. This initiative places the 'agency of a child' at its core, nurturing this spirit and empowering children to explore and experiment. This project employs a dynamic engagement strategy, employing a hub-and-spoke model for extensive geographic coverage at two levels:
- The Chakmak Clubs, the informal village-based libraries and reading spaces anchored by mostly middle school students, specially trained for the role. Named after Eklavya's longstanding monthly magazine “Chakmak”, these Chakmak clubs act as 'spokes' reaching all children in the village. They offer a vibrant collection of books and materials for various age groups, functioning as lending libraries and activity centers at the village level. This setup ensures accessibility to children of all communities, especially the underserved, promoting maximum inclusion and participation. The unique aspect of Chakmak Clubs is their anchoring by a group of 5-10 middle school students from the respective village.
- The Multi-disciplinary Learning Centers (MDLCs) function as central hubs, coordinating with 10-12 Chakmak Clubs. These centers offer robust resource support, opportunities for capacity building, and academic guidance facilitated by the Eklavya team. These physical centers house a diverse range of resources focused on reading and hands-on activities, accessible to children, youth, community members, and teachers. Strategically located in slightly larger villages central to many small villages, MDLCs provide regular and intensive capacity building inputs, along with necessary materials, to fortify the Chakmak Clubs. This network of nodal centers acts as a support system, enhancing the quality of engagement provided by the Chakmak Clubs through consistent resource support and on-site guidance to the anchoring student teams.
A network of 100 Chakmak clubs and 10 nodal centers active in around 110 villages of Obaidullaganj Block of Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh.
Moreover, this initiative encompasses three additional segments designed to engage various stakeholders comprehensively:
- Capacity building forums, including course development on Library and reading, aim to enhance skills and knowledge in this domain. A certificate course “Library se Dosti” has been developed and launched.
- The revitalization of school libraries seeks to create dynamic, engaging spaces that foster a vibrant reading experience for students. Project aims to revitalise 25 school libraries in Hoshangabad and Raisen districts of Madhya Pradesh.
- Developing literature: Catering specifically to the needs of students. This effort aims to enrich the literary landscape for these communities. Currently Eklavya is working in collaboration with Ayang Trust, Majuli, Assam and Ek-Tara, Kolkata to translate and create original manuscripts in Assames, Missing and Bangla.
Chakmak Club - Library and Reading Initiative - लायब्रेरी एंड रीडिंग इनिशिएटिव
Chakmak Club:Bacchon Ki Jubani - Library and Reading Initiative - लायब्रेरी एंड रीडिंग इनिशिएटिव
Library and Reading Initiative (LARI) - लायब्रेरी एंड रीडिंग इनिशिएटिव