Community Library
Akhra for Education is an initiative by Prayatn: Striving for Social Justice to establish community libraries and study centers for children. The schools in the tea plantation region do not have the required teacher-student ratio, lack basic infrastructural support and Adivasi students experience ethnic biases. Additionally, the extended closure of schools during the Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected the children’s development and hindered their right to education. To address this need, community libraries and study centers were established in the tea gardens.
The objectives of Akhra for Education are: – To support children in their formal education – To foster a culture of reading – To engage with education from an Indigenous perspective.
Currently, Akhra for Education operates in eight tea gardens – Batabari, Nagaisuree, Kumlai, Sathkaya, Zhurantee, Kalagaiti, Patibari, and Kailashpur, with 200 children participating in the program.
Khuriya Bandar,
Salbari, Jalpaiguri
West Bengal – 735206
Library Contact: Christy Nag
Contact Email: nagchristopher@gmail.com
| Library Staff Members | 8 |
| Library Member Strength | 200 |
| Gender Breakdown of Members | Female: 130 Male: 70 |
| Age Groups Served | 10yrs to 21yrs |
| Library Branches | 8 |
| Villages/Clusters Served | 8 villages |
| Book Collection Size | 400 |
| Type of Books in Collection | Picture books, short stories, novels |
| Average Daily Footfalls | – |
| Types of Reading Programs | Read Aloud, Storytelling |
| Other Library Programs | Art and craft |
| Presence of Various Library Policies (enrollment/admission, safety, anti-discrimination & inclusion guidelines etc) | No |