An NGO has opened a library for children from underprivileged homes, many of whom have no access to books.
The library has been stocked with books in Hindi, Bengali and English where “children are encouraged to sit and read.”
The library that has come up off Hyde Road, in the port area, is open from 3pm to 6pm. Children of the neighbourhood can come and read under the supervision of teachers during this period.
Apart from being a library, the centre functions as a school and as a skill development centre.
Since many of the children do not go to school, Tomorrow’s Foundation teaches them at its centre so that they can complete school under the National Institute of Open Schooling.
“We also function as a skill development centre. Children are taught how to repair air conditioners and refrigerators. We also have beautician courses. This will help the children get jobs and they will never have to depend solely on manual labour jobs,” said Santanu Banerjee, senior director of education and child protection, Tomorrow’s Foundation, the NGO.
The girls are primarily busy with household chores in the morning, said Banerjee..“After the Covid pandemic, the engagement of young boys in the unorganised sector has gone up. One of the prime reasons behind the rise is the parents, the primary bread earners, losing their jobs,” he said.
The idea of having a library in the neighbourhood is to “introduce the children to the world of reading and to widen their horizon”.
“A library in the vicinity draws the attention of children,” said Sharmistha Chakraborty, area-in-charge of the NGO.
“We had not expected as good a response as this. The children are coming to the library regularly,” said Chakraborty.