Community Reading Program
Have you ever thrown a stone in the water? You might have observed that it creates a continuous ripple effect. Creating an impact in someone’s life is also like that. We don’t realize that one tiny action can create a sea of change. There are so many people who work behind the scenes silently and today we would like to share one such inspiring story of our parents- Ms.Daraksha!
The National Achievement Survey, 2017 highlights that 13-18% of students from Class 3,5 and 8 are below basic learning levels. To address the challenges of reading in the community, the Muktangan Mohalla library project was initiated with the underlying philosophy- ‘for the community, by the community.’ If you visit any of these community libraries, you will be welcomed by our enthusiastic mummys and daddys who are not only running these libraries but also encouraging everyone to read.
Ms.Daraksha, our proactive parent grew up in Mumbai and currently lives with her husband and three children in Worli community. The one thing that she missed out on was ‘Education’ She wanted her children to study but not in the traditional way and that’s when she came across Muktangan.
“This is a school with a difference. The aspects that really fascinated me the most were the play-based learning and low pupil-teacher ratio that helps every child receive support from the teacher. Most importantly, my kids are very happy in school and that’s what matters to me the most as their parent.”
In school, children had access to books and reading resources. However, the pandemic became a roadblock in the learning of her children and others in the community. The Mohalla library came like a ray of hope to ensure continuous learning in these challenging times. Ms.Daraksha was extremely motivated to be a part of the project and to encourage each person in the community to start reading for self and societal development.
“Since I have not attained formal education myself, I always felt less valued and uninformed about many things. I strongly believe that every person must receive opportunities to learn and this is what the Muktangan Mohalla library is setting out to achieve. While children were reading even before, now they really look forward to receiving new books. I can see the difference in my house too. My son has become an enthusiastic reader and has even written his own book!’
Listening to her speak with so much conviction and pride reinstated our belief in the phrase-’If one woman is educated, the entire family is educated.’ Ms.Daraksha grabbed this opportunity with open arms and little did she realize that this was opening the door to a path of self-awareness and transformation. The one thing she is truly grateful for is the bond she has developed with her children through books. The joy of spending time with her children, discussing characters from different stories and learning new words is something they all look forward to as a family. Could there be anything more precious than this?
“My children and I help each other learn everyday. I see how comfortably they express themselves and share their emotions with me. I feel that my family has become close-knit thanks to all the wonderful stories we are reading.”
For her, only her children reading was not enough. She wanted every member and child in the community to cultivate the habit of reading for which she went personally to every person’s home and spread the message of Mohalla library. Isn’t it just wonderful to see her zeal and desire to change lives!
“I could connect with the King’s character in my favorite book- Sukhi Rajkumar. Just like him, even I wanted to give back to the community and help others feel as empowered as I feel today. Muktangan is my family. The teachers are so supportive and they not only support our children but also encourage us as parents to learn.”
Along with enhancement of knowledge, this exercise has also increased the level of interaction in the community and fostered cultural exchange. While change most certainly comes from within, we all need a person like Ms.Daraksha in our lives to invoke an altering thought process within our hearts and minds. Today, she feels alive and happy immersing herself in the magical world of stories, pictures and colorful characters.
“I want everyone in the community to read and this is my mission. I remember this little girl in the community who used to regularly issue books from me and read them so quickly. For me, seeing her eagerness to learn itself was a huge inspiration and it made my conviction even stronger to help young girls like her become independent. I have also read stories to parents who can’t read to arouse in them a liking for books. The only way forward is to keep motivating people and leading through example!”
Ms.Daraksha Ansari, Parent Volunteer