Books on Wheels
A library on a rickshaw for slum children
Shri D.N.Sharma, State Convener, Janshala programme—Chhattisgarh, conceived the idea of circulating a mobile library for the children of workers’ colonies. Shri P.P.Singh, BRCC, Janshala programme, Bhilai, proposed to introduce this project in the workers’ slum of the industrial town, where people do not have the capacity to buy books and toys for their children.
“Pustak Pitara” was the name given to the mobile library constructed on a rickshaw in the shape of an orange. Pustak Pitara is run by a nineteen year old girl, Jena Hiyan, who has passed the class V examination after studying under the Nav Sakshar Abhiyan conducted by the Jila Saksharata Samiti. As soon as she enters the workers slum with the Pustak Pitara on her rickshaw, the children swarm around her with cries of “Here comes the Pustak Pitara Didi!”
This mobile library contains children’s books from Children’s Book Trust, National Book Trust-India, ‘Eklavya’, State Resource Centre, New Delhi and Indore, Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti, New Delhi, Jila Saksharata Samiti, Durg, as well as children’s publications from Raj Kamal Prakashan, Sasta Sahitya Mandal, and other private publishing houses. It has around 300 books. The Pitara also contains balls, rubber rings and educational toys. The children can also enjoy songs on the tape recorder in the Pitara, and entertain themselves by listening to their own voices being recorded and played back. As Jena leaves the slum, the children eagerly enquire about her next visit to their locality.
Every day Jena visits three slums with her mobile library. She covers six slum areas (Indira Colony, Baudhbhumi, Kosanagar, Sanjay Nagar, Supela, Krishnanagar) during the week and makes the books and toys available to the children attending the Prerna Alternative Schools.
‘Pustak Pitara” is contributing significantly towards providing a learning atmosphere to the children in the workers’ slums, and inculcating in them basic human values through books, play activities, songs and poems. Jena, too is very happy and satisfied with her job. She views it as an important contribution in the field of education.