Support Dharavi Art Room To Setup A Library

We want to set up a community lending library in Dharavi because there is no proper library here. The neighborhoods we will deliver books to are low-income. Many children lack books in their homes or cannot access books elsewhere. Their school libraries have limitations, they live too far away from public libraries and their families cannot afford to buy books. For many families, taking care of basic needs will always win over buying books.

We believe access to knowledge is essential in the process of social mobility.

Our library books will be for children from 6 to 16 years.  Our books will be interesting and colorful and attractive. Once children come and see the books they will want to read. We will also have interesting activities for the library members, things like read-alouds, vocabulary and literacy games and maybe even literature circle. We will also give prizes to children with the best attendance. This will automatically support students who might otherwise slip out of practice with reading. Our library will also be one of the very few in the world that will actively engage users as content creators.

The children can come and read books in the library and borrow books to take home. We will ask children to pay INR 50 as a one-time registration fee, to help them understand and respect the value of this facility. We will keep a detailed record of the money we receive from the children. We will use this to buy more books, or for the upkeep of the library (if we need to buy a new cupboard, for example).

With our existing books-lending facility we have already noticed students tell us about the books they had borrowed the previous week and look for similar titles, or for titles that their friends were reading. Kids of various ages often started reading to each other and their parents.

We see library as more than just books. It's about growing stronger connections within a neighborhood.

Help us get books into the hands of those who need them most.

We need:                                                                      

In all we require INR 3,18,000 for the whole year. We intend to reach at least 300 children in the first year of the Dharavi Art Room Library.

You can see more of our projects at: http://artroom.strikingly.com/                            

You can also find Dharavi Art Room on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

Please spread the word! You could share this with other people — online and off, — and help us find more people who want to help us. Our community grows by word of mouth.

If we are successful together, we will be celebrating the triumph of knowledge over anguish and economic struggle. We shall celebrate community effort over dispersion. We will celebrate the joy of coming together as friends and families over territorial limits. We will celebrate the voice of co-operation and the power of sharing.

Once again - thanks for your support!!!