That day, the village of Lasembangi was not as bright as usual. The sky was slightly overcast, though the rain had yet to fall. In one of the classrooms of SDN 76 Buton, located in Lasembangi Village, Lasalimu District, Buton Regency, on January 18, 2025, teachers and various stakeholders gathered. Among them were the Village Head, the Village Secretary, the local army (Babinsa), staff from Givaudan such as Toddy Arbysuryo, and representatives of students’ parents.

The purpose of this meeting was to socialize the Child-Friendly Library program, an initiative resulting from the social mission collaboration between Givaudan and Taman Bacaan Pelangi as the program implementer. This project was designed to improve the quality of education and children’s literacy in the targeted area. By establishing a welcoming and engaging library, it was hoped that reading habits could be nurtured from an early age and that the quality of education at the elementary school level could be enhanced.

Taman Bacaan Pelangi team with the principal, teachers, and all of the socialization attendees

During the socialization session, Muhammad Ikram, a representative from Taman Bacaan Pelangi, explained the concept of the Child-Friendly Library. He emphasized that the program was not merely about building a library but also about highlighting the importance of cooperation among various parties in creating a comfortable literacy environment for children. All stakeholders were expected to contribute actively to ensure the program ran smoothly.

The teachers are painting the room that is going to be used as a child-friendly library

In his speech, the Village Head of Lasembangi, Sabaparta, expressed his gratitude for the presence of this literacy program.
“On behalf of the people of Lasembangi Village, I sincerely thank you for this collaborative program aimed at increasing children’s interest in reading in our village. We are also ready to assist, including in the library renovation process if needed in the future,” he said.

After the socialization session ended, the school immediately began coordinating the library renovation process. Additionally, as a form of shared commitment, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the school and the Buton Regency Education Office at the Takawa Government Office.

The Mou Signing at DoE of Buton District office by Mr Hamidin, the Division Head of Primary Education

The Child-Friendly Library program marks the beginning of efforts to enhance children’s literacy in Lasembangi Village. It is hoped that through close collaboration between the school, the community, and the company, this library can become a comfortable and inspiring place for students to develop a love for reading.