By Ingrid Jones | Executive Director
2016 is nearly over and the children are looking forward to the New Year and family celebrations. Gifts are exchanged at the New Year and many children look forward to a small gift on New Year's Day and members of the larger family congregating in one house. Most children will not receive a book as a gift as these are not readily available and those that are, are too expensive for most families too buy, with gifts being new clothes or shoes to meet their children's basic needs.
The Mobile Library fulfils the desire of children to have a book, a drawing or game to play especially now the days are shorter and the nights long, dark and cold.
7 year old Leon from Pac, said to Ilir: I need a book with pictures, I don't have any of these in my home or at my school. I know these are books for younger children, but they are beautiful and with colours!"
In Dege village the Literature, Language and Reading teacher always brings the children of his class every month to choose a book. Shkelzen also chooses a book for himself because he doesn't have a library where he can borrow books and he doesn't have the money to buy books for himself.
Ilir the Library Assistant and Driver, is a quiet and reserved man with an engaging smile and a quiet assuredness. He lives with his wife and two children, Arjani seven years old and Aurora six years old in Tropoje e Vjetër. Every day Ilir drives to Bajram Curri to check-the Mobile Library is full of fuel and that the books are all in order and ready for the next group of children to choose their book for the month. According to the schedule, he then sets off on his journey, sometimes for 15 minutes and other times for 90 minutes. For Ilir the best part about his job, is when the children call his name and run alongside the library van as it arrives at its destination. The children's happiness, smiles and eagerness to see what books he has and the games they will play brings joy to Ilir as he feels he is giving something that is really needed.
"I love to work as I am giving a service, I feel useful and I am able to organize games for the children."
We would like to thank everyone who has given so generously during 2016, which has meant Ilir and the Mobile Library have continued to provide joy and books to children all over Tropojë District over the last 12 months. We aim to continue this small, but essential service in 2017 with your help and to provide a new supply of picture books and books for younger children. Children particularly like to have books with pictures and lots of colours, so this will be our gift to them.
The Team at Partnerë për Fëmijët and Ilir especially would like to wish all our partners and supporters good health, peace and happiness for the holidays and 2017!
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
