Libraries in their new role : Case Study of READ India libraries

Libraries in their new role : Case Study of READ India libraries

by | Apr 4, 2022 | My Musings-Dr Geeta Malhotra

Tough times don’t last, tough people do…

This quote is very true in the current times of COVID 19 crisis that has impacted each one of us personally, professionally, economically and socially.

The whole community is shattered. This pandemic hit the human beings, thus the humanity. People while sitting at home were able to introspect themselves, where do they stand vs a vs these pandemics or frustration, fight and tension among family members. The sufferers were busy in taking care of themselves or near and dear ones. Every individual had to take care of. Him or herself. The true meaning of family, Neighbours and extended families were realized. The GOD gave the clear message “You came alone, you have to take care of yourself alone and will go alone”. Everything else is an illusion. Children while observing the scenario understood the reality; young ones seeing the helpless situation learnt a big lesson of life, elders learnt that we should take care of mental, social and physical being of ourselves and it is never late! Libraries are human centric. Though a common man has an understanding the library has books, those who are educated can only enter this domain, rest just feel pride of having a library in their vicinity. But, no one thinks what Libraries can do to change their mindset, social life, academic career and provide direction to individual’s life. Being a common and open space for everyone, the library could be a source of information, knowledge, Center for support of any kind and human encyclopedia of a better life.

The pandemic has taught us, where to go for the basic information or a telephone number of the doctor, from where to get the medicine, who can provide the online prescription of the medicines required, hospital and ambulance contacts, oximeter, blood pressure testing machine, sugar-testing machine, oxygen cylinders and so on. No one thought that this common space in the vicinity of the village can help provide all this. What was needed was a few volunteers who could manage to strengthen these libraries.

Post COVID the priorities of the people changed from reading to skilling, higher education to livelihood, online support for banking, online food and medicine supply, thanks to technology and the mobile services. Otherwise, it would have been complete isolation.

Libraries should take this as an opportunity and train all on use of mobile technology, digital learning, online banking, online business and reaching out to masses instead of one-to-one meeting.

As heading an Organisation, Rural Education and Development (READ) India, during the first lock down in 2020, the sudden shift to technology made rural people think twice on how to use technology, but understood well that this is the only way forward.

I remember, the first training was organised on zoom was to understand leadership traits and how rural women can become the leaders in their own vicinity. This training was combined with entrepreneur skills, cyber safety and security, technology empowering girls, keeping in view the interest level, basic qualifications and access to mobile. Constant handholding made them confident complemented with the workshops on mental health, life skills, confidence building etc.

I also recall that ration distribution, availability of sanitizers, soaps, masks etc. was also done by the community volunteers through libraries. Instruments like oximeters, sugar testing machine with strips, blood pressure testing digital machines were made available at the libraries for free service. The changing needs were addressed in changing time by Libraries.

During this time when the dire need of medical infrastructure and resources was tested to its limits, READ India took cognizance by contributing to prepare a ready workforce in the form of Community Health Workers in the rural communities. READ India in 2020 trained 1100 rural young women and girls by experienced doctors at multiple locations where the Centers are located. Trainees integrated under this training are now well equipped to measure Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose, Temperature, Pulse Rate, Oxygen level and measure other body parameters using different devices.

Children in all age groups suffered a lot during this period. Restricted movement outside the house led to depletion of both cognitive growth and interpersonal communication skills. Isolation and feeling of uncertainty affected the emotional state to a great degree. Educational institutions being shut and no effective learning, further deteriorated the situation. Rural communities where READ India is present, witness the dearth of amenities and resources that were available to children in urban areas. In order to bridge the gap, READ India created e-content with focussed and refined video lessons for children in the age groups of 7-11 years, 12-16 years, 16 and above. These video lessons were uploaded on a portal and each student accessing this content online was given a dedicated username and password free of any charge with no limit on content access.

Extending support to these underprivileged children in rural communities, READ India strived to fill the gulf of education and learning in the villages during the tough times when schools were completely closed.

READ India undertook short term strategic decisions to make READ Community Library and Resource Centers dynamic standpoint in the village, wherein the resources offered through could be harnessed for the best of its use.

Short term programmes were introduced through libraries:

  • Sharing audio programmes made by READ India designated staff based on the certified information by the Government sources being actively shared through WhatsApp groups – Some examples are: – Sessions made on precautions to be taken during COVID 19, Hygiene practice.
  • Distributed masks stitched by women, soaps and handwash kits.
  • Trainings online using zoom and other tools to women, young boys and girls, parents of the differently abled children.
  • Programmes on COVID– 19 and mental health are being developed with the help of an expert in the subject area and then virtual TOT sessions are being conducted.
  • Reading and writing keeping age-appropriate curriculum for 2 – 6 years; 6- 10 years and 10 – 15 years. Self-evaluation forms are being added before and after each session to generate effectiveness.

Key Highlights:

  1. Encouraged women entrepreneur leaders to make videos on how to stitch masks, make soaps and once the lockdown is open, how to make disinfectants.
  2. More than 100 women have made around 1,00,000 masks for distribution.
  3. Module on Social Media Marketing was developed, and these women entrepreneurs were trained on using online mediums of selling their products.
International Women’s Day : 8th March 2022

International Women’s Day : 8th March 2022

by | Mar 12, 2022 | Update

Its great to have one day specially marked on the calendar to wish every woman all the best. We all do. The real wishes come from the heart when you are in touch with so many women who reside in the rural areas and you are talking to them, thanks to the technology, and they are wishing “Happy Women’s Day” or saying “Antarashtriya Mahila Diwas Ki Shubhkamnayen”. Bringing them online and talking to them what do they mean about this, the answer is “we changed our lives, thanks to READ India for providing us the opportunity”.

A few quotes: Fatima says, I am a school teacher in Kalghar village of Rampur, I learnt computers and now my salary is double, I have happily taken over the administration job of the school along with teaching, my computer skills have added more income to my family and I am confident in handling multiple responsibilities.

Abida says, I never thought of be self-dependent. What a change in life, I am not only self-dependent but making may girls self-dependent by teaching them the stitching and sewing skills and Shaziya says that she has opened a training Centre at her home and making other girls learn the same skills and earn money. Thanks to Akbar for his dedication and driving the positivity by transforming the lives of local girls and women enabling them to understand the importance of self-dependent and bring confidence in them for self-transformation.

Nishi Says, “we are six sisters. All were not allowed to come out of home, but the local leader, Farah, convinced our father to send the girls at the READ India Community Library and Resource Center. Now all the six sisters have learned multiple skills and are self-dependent”, what a change in the family! Nishi shared her feelings as “मुस्कुरा कर दर्द को बुलाकर रिश्तो में बंधी थी एक नारी हर पग को रोशन करने वाली वह शक्ति है एक नारी।“

Fiza, who said after passing the 10th class, she started training the women zari zardozi work, was not confident how she will speak with the elderly women and make them learn. She is so confident now and is continuing her higher education by earning money as a trainer with READ India.

Muskan, a young girl belongs to an orthodox family lives in village Patwai of District Rampur, she says that she had to drop out from her school as her father thought that women should not be allowed to go outside , but she with the help of the mobilizers of READ India center able to convince her father & got the permission to read in the READ India center, since past six months she has been reading in the center and now her father impressed from her & allowed her to get admission in the school for further formal studies. She expressed her feelings by sharing “मां बन कर जन्म दिया जिसने, लालन-पालन भी किया जिसने, शीश झुका कर प्रणाम करो उस नारी को, तुम पर एहसान किया उसने।

Farha, the Coordinator, who has been motivating, training and mentoring the local girls in the villages of Patwai, Khalghar, Aghapur and surroundings, shared her power by expressing as :

मुट्ठी में कुछ सपने लेकर भरकर जीवो में आशाएं दिल में है। अरमान यही कुछ कर जाएं कुछ कर जाएं।

सूरत सा तेज नहीं मुझमें, दीपक से जलता देखोगे।

अपनी हद रोशन करने से, तुम मुझको कब तक रोकोगे, तुम मुझको कब तक रोकोगे !

मैं उस माटी की वृक्ष नहीं, जिसको नदियों ने सींचा है।

बंजर माटी में पलकर मैंने, मृत्यु से जीवन खींचा है।

मैं पत्थर पर लिखी इबारत हूं। शीशे से कब तक तोड़ोगे,

मिटने वाला में नाम नहीं, तुम मुझको कब तक रोकोगे, तुम मुझको कब तक रोकोगे !

इस जग में जितने जुल्म नहीं उतने सहने की ताकत है।

दानों के भी शोर में रहकर सच कहने की आदत है।

मैं सागर से भी गहरी हूं, तुम कितने कंकड़ फेकोगे !

चुन चुन कर आगे बड़ूगी मैं, तुम मुझको कब तक रोकोगे। तुम मुझको कब तक रोकोगे!

झुक झुक कर सीधी खड़ी हुई अब फिर झुकने का शौक नहीं।

अपने ही हाथों रचा स्वयं, तुमसे मिटने का खौफ नहीं।

तुम हालातों की भट्टी में जब जब भी मुझको झोकेगे, तब तब सोना बनूंगी मैं

तुम मुझको कब तक रोकोगे तुम मुझको कब तक रोकोगे !

Thanks to the efforts made by the local Coordinators, I should say the local leaders who are the change-makers by interacting with these girls, motivating their families, bringing confidence for making them self-dependent.

In Lakhimpur, two girls from Punjab, residing in the village, walking more than 6 kms every day to learn the skills and are blessed to have the local leader Seema Singh, who is instrumental in changing their lives. The smiles on their faces and the confidence while talking shows the inner strength.

Similarly, in Mewat, Nuh, Baran, Geejgarh, Gosaiganj, Lucknow, Barabanki and many other places, girls shared their transforming stories. A sense of satisfaction and fulfilment enriches the READ India team apart from fulfilling the commitments to the donor. The same voices across the country in selected geographies show the sustained holistic development, will show the ripple effect in coming years, the way transformation in the society takes the shape.

In Lucknow, many stories of transformation, where the girls have learnt multiple skills and are making others to learn. They do not have words to thank the local Coordinators to make them learn and earn.

In Badagaon of Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, Sana says, in the past four years, multiple skills have been given to the girls and for them the meaning of International Women’s Day is self-empowerment.

In Gosaiganj, Lucky says she has taught more than 400 girls stitching and sewing and many girls are earning money to meet their own expenses and continuing their education for further development, realizing their own dreams.

These girls are not economically that sound, but positivity, family bonding, zeal to do something, looking towards more opportunities are the few steps to share up their lives is the real meaning of International Women’s Day for READ India and its senior management team.