Monthly Mobile Library for Albanian Children

Challenge

Tropoje District in northeast Albania consists of small villages and homesteads situated between and on the mountains. Children walk for hours to get to poorly resourced schools, with many not attending due to poverty or disability. Families' prioritize survival, so books are lacking and children work in the fields. 1,050 children borrow books to inspire and to fire their imagination, plus each month engage in games and activities. Teachers loan books and materials to enliven their lessons.

Solution

The Mobile Library stocked with a wide selection of books, encyclopedias and activities will visit each of the 40 communities once per month enabling children to borrow a book and take part in the games and activities. Reading improves a child's vocabulary: their imagination and interest in the world thus widening their horizons. Shared activities encourages collaboration. Teachers loan books to improve their lessons, which in turn activates children's appetite for learning and knowledge.

Long-Term Impact

The regular mobile library service provides information, books, games and sports activities for 1,050 children, living in isolated rural communities thereby improving their learning, vocabulary, social skills and use of free time. Each book borrowed gives each child and his/her siblings hours of pleasure. Participating in an activity with others enables a child to learn to share, to cooperate and to have a friend. Kindergarten and school teachers have increased learning resources.

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources