Unique Initiative: Women In Odisha’s Malkangiri Start Roadside Library To Attract Youngsters To Books

Malkangiri: A roadside library near Art Collge here is grabbing eyeballs – for all the right reasons. A couple of book lovers set it up in the hope of weaning children from their mobile phones and television sets.

Started on Diwali day, the group has been christened Bada Didi. According to Diparani Nayak a volunteer the library has been started to arouse the interest of the children and youth in book reading.

The open library has a good number of books. One can donate books as well as read here. Diparani is hopeful that their attempt will bear fruit, she said.

Bada Didi volunteers are planning to open a similar library at the GP level (gram panchayat) so that the rural children can also avail the benefits of book-reading and enlarge their intellectual horizon.

According to another volunteer Kirolakshi, they working on health and hygiene. That is why they have books in various languages that are specifically meant for morning walkers to gain knowledge.”