One million reasons to smile - World Vision’s Mobile Library

World Vision’s Mobile Library, in partnership with 532 schools, has strengthened the reading habits of around 1,100,000 children in 30 districts of 9 provinces in Cambodia. 

Mr. Var Sorin, Education Technical Programme Lead at World Vision International Cambodia, says that the Mobile Library initiative was initiated in March 2021 to aid the educational needs of Cambodian children during the school closure due to the COVID-19 restrictions. 

“Mobile Library has been enhancing the reading habits and self-study capabilities of children, especially those who lack the educational materials. They can borrow story books from the reading camps and the school libraries, life skills books, or general knowledge books to read on their own at home,” Sorin says. 

Mobile Library is running with the direct support from 1,540 Community Reading Facilitators (CRFs) of the 744 reading camps of World Vision and librarians of the 532 partnered schools. The books from the reading camps and the school libraries are prepared by the librarians and are distributed by youth facilitators (CRFs) to the community every Monday. Parents are also encouraged to pay more attention to their children’s progress, and help them with self-study at home.  

“This project has helped children in various ways as they get to receive more materials and books to read during their free times,” says Sorin. “Moreover, children can also enjoy reading with and for their friends in the neighborhood and their parents when they are off from work which can foster a friendlier and healthier family bonds. These can partly contribute to lesser drop-out rate of many students who cannot access to online learning.”  

Makara, a 12-year-old boy studying in 6th grade at a Primary School of Basedth District, Kompong Speu Province, expresses his happiness toward Mobile Library as this project allows him to be able to borrow and read different genres of books. Makara proudly says that he himself no longer just plays around outside. Instead, he spends more time reading. 

“When I read a lot, I start to understand things better, know more vocabulary and how to spell them. I am also happy that I do not have to go to school and borrow books. Brother and sister [youth facilitators] bring [books] to my house, so it is easier,” says Makara.  

Mobile library not only helps strengthening children’s reading habits but also has a positive effect on the whole family.  

Mrs. Chhit Chhay, Makara’s aunt, told World Vision that she feels very happy that her nephew reads more at home and even reads stories for her while lessening his play with friends.

“I don’t really know how to read so I like it when Makara reads for me. Now I often ask him to read me the books almost every day,” says Chhay.  

Many more children in the community, aside from Makara, also benefit from the initiative. Mr. Sok Udom, the librarian at Phnum Pith Primary School, who has been actively involved in this project says that he observed a significant reduction in time spent watching TV or playing mobile games as his students read instead. 

What makes Udom even happier is the very active enthusiasm from the students who always wait for the youth facilitators to arrive to distribute the books every week. According to his records, the numbers of books that have been borrowed has increased. He is surprised with how his students appeared to already know most of the stories the facilitator team reads for them.

“I am so happy when to see that our school can involve and support such project to be this successful,” says Mr. Udom. “Moreover, this project has even helped the youth volunteers with the opportunity to gain experiences in doing social work. I also believe that it helps the education system in our country, especially in terms of reading as children in rural areas mostly have a low reading capability.”

By: Ratha Virak Tepy and Sun Sokhen, World Vision’s Communicators