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![Taman Bacaan Pelangi [Rainbow Reading Gardens]](/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/logo_taman_bacaan_pelangi_rainbow_reading_gardens_bilingual_d.png){kind=logo}
Non-Profit Organization Rainbow Reading Gardens (Taman Bacaan Pelangi) inaugurated a child-friendly library today in SDK Nangapanda 1, Nangapanda sub-district, Ende District, East Nusa Tenggara. This library marks the hundredth library established by Rainbow Reading Gardens after 9 years of existence. Now, as many as 26,000 students spread throughout 17 islands in Eastern Indonesia have obtained access to quality storybooks.
Nila Tanzil, founder of Rainbow Reading Gardens, states, “This is a very touching moment for Rainbow Reading Gardens. Thank you for all of the support we have received all this time, from the schools, parents, local governments, to the volunteers and fundraisers. Without them none of this could be achieved.
The hundredth library is part of the 3rdcycle of Rainbow Reading Gardens’ partnership with Room to Read, an international non-profit organization focusing on girls’ education and children’s literacy in Asia and Africa. In this cycle, Rainbow Reading Gardens will establish 20 libraries in the Ende district. Rainbow Reading Gardens has previously established 18 libraries in the Ende district in the 2ndcycle and 12 libraries in the West Manggarai district in the first cycle.
Rainbow Reading Gardens supports schools by providing renovation materials for school libraries, library furniture such as book racks, storybooks for elementary school children, training for headmasters, teachers and librarians, as well as constant support throughout the entire library establishment process. Additionally, Rainbow Reading Gardens ensure that each of its libraries follow child-friendly principles.
“We thank Rainbow Reading Gardens for its concern for the children of Ende. The establishment of these child-friendly libraries has significantly improved the quality of education in this region. We also support Rainbow Reading Gardens’ initiative to incorporate weekly library visits into the school curriculum. We believe this is a good start to fostering reading habits in children.” Stated Petrus Guido No, head of the Ende district’s Department of Education
Many teachers in Ende are hitherto unfamiliar with the concept of child-friendly libraries. Teachers, including headmasters and librarians, were given training to properly manage their libraries and conduct appropriate reading activities that serve to bolster reading habits in children.
“The training we received greatly broadened our perspectives. Librarians and teachers received the necessary tools to more actively engage with students in particular and library activities in general. Activities such as roaming the library and listening to the students read, praising their efforts and helping those requiring assistance, as well as other interactive activities. All of this we do to ensure our students receive nothing but the best.” Said Martha Mariati, headmistress of SDK Nangapanda 1.
Nila Tanzil hopes the libraries established by Rainbow Reading Gardens will serve as model libraries for other schools in Eastern Indonesia. “Teachers have been trained and they can share their knowledge with other schools that have yet to establish their own child-friendly libraries.”
After the inauguration, Rainbow Reading Gardens will continue to routinely support the aforementioned schools. This is done to ensure that the library management and library activities run smoothly, the facilities provided function properly and the staffs conduct their roles accurately.
Established in 2009, Rainbow Reading Gardens is a non-profit organization that focuses on establishing child-friendly libraries in Eastern Indonesia. With the inauguration of its hundredth library, Rainbow Reading Gardens have provided 26,000 children across remote areas in 17 different islands in Eastern Indonesia, from Lombok to Papua, access to over 200,000 quality storybooks.
