As we had shared earlier, Maryam Library Foundation and OSAAT are partnering to Build Libraries in Underserved Communities in India

The goal of this project is to improve foundational reading skills in rural children. To achieve this goal, we will be establishing libraries in primary schools that have lower classes such as LKG, UKG, or 1st grade and above.

We believe that libraries can play a vital role in improving reading skills. Libraries provide children with access to books, which can help them develop a love of reading. Libraries also provide a safe and welcoming space for children to read and learn.

In addition to building libraries, we will also be developing a mechanism to measure the improvement in reading ability of children after library usage. This will help us to assess the impact of our project and make improvements as needed.

We are also committed to developing a template (or model) for overall library implementation and usage. This template will be shared with other organizations that are interested in building libraries in underserved communities.

We have selected four schools for this project for 2023

1. Government Higher Primary School, Chikkahunsur village, Hunsur taluk, Mysuru district

2. Government Model Higher Primary School, Balechangappa, Someshwarapalya, Mulbagal town, Kolar district

3. Government Model Higher Primary School, Nangali village, Mulbagal taluk, Kolar district

4. Government Kannada Model Higher Primary School, Kamasamudram village, Bangarpet taluk, Kolar district

These schools were selected based on the following criteria:

• Good total student strength (250+)

• Active teachers and headmaster who are keen to set up the library and use it well

• Have maintained their current library well and are actively using it

• Have space to set up a new library

We are grateful to OSAAT for their partnership on this important project. We are also grateful to our supporters, who make our work possible. We hope to expand this in upcoming years across other parts in India.

How You Can Help

There are many ways you can support this initiative:

• Volunteer your time: We are always looking for volunteers to help with tasks such as sorting books, shelving books, and assisting library patrons.

• Donate books: We are always in need of books in good condition.

• Make a financial contribution: Your financial support will help us to purchase books, computers, and other essential supplies.

Every contribution, large or small, makes a difference.

Our heartfelt thanks

We are deeply grateful for your support. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of children in India.

Thank you for your generosity.

To learn more about Maryam Library Foundation, please visit our website at https://www.maryamlibraryfoundation.org/

To learn more about OSAAT, please visit their website at https://osaat.org/