Sanjeev Satgainya speaks to Dinesh Shrestha who, alongwith Microsoft’s John Wood,

provided Nepali children with a room to read and space to learn the riches of life.

Kathmandu: This is a true story that begins with a trekker and an altruist who, while on the Annapurna trail in 1998, came in close contact of the local community living in Lamjung and their education and learning methods and infrastructure. They had but one problem — lack of books in the English language. The gentleman went back to his country and arranged for some books — borrowing from friends and relatives — and, in 1999, John Wood, then Microsoft’s second man in China, journeyed again to Nepal with a surprise package. The surprise package contained 3,000 books. The books went into the hands of the children of Lamjung. Enter Dinesh P Shrestha, rural aid worker. On hearing the odd “achievement” of Mr Wood, Shrestha became keen to help this American help Lamjung. He decided to assist Wood in distributing the books. Thus began the joint venture of Shrestha and Wood. And the rest, as Shrestha and others say, is history. ‘Room To Read Nepal’ is the name of the dream. Shrestha, country director, Room To Read — now a full-fledged organisation working for the schools and underprivileged children in different parts of the land — says, “Back then we had named it ‘Books For Nepal’.”

Initially, the books were borrowed from family and friends and it was only on a personal level “but later on publishers extended their helping hand,” says Shrestha. In the meantime, Wood quit his job and began a new career. In an interview with the Time Magazine (October 11, 2004), Wood said, “Microsoft didn’t need me. The children of Nepal did.” In a short span of two years, Books For Nepal became so popular that countries like Cambodia, Vietnam and India, too, followed the concept. “In the beginning of 2000, we rechristened the organisation as Room To Read Nepal. Room To Read projects are now being operated in six countries,” says Shrestha. Now, after seven years, Room To Read Nepal has built more than 100 schools, established some 1,000 libraries, opened 50 computer laboratories and is educating more than 500 underprivileged children including little girls in Chitwan. “Government schools were a target group. Despite having an adequate infrastructure, these schools lacked children’s books. The students hardly had a reading habit. We worked out how to distribute books there and established a library,” recounts Shrestha. Room To Read Nepal that started its project as establishing libraries in schools now has started its endeavour in developing the infrastructure of the schools as well.

But one major factor that plays a vital role in any project is the sense of belonging. “That’s why from the beginning we asked for participation,” says Shrestha. “All our projects are run on partnership basis. Unless they have a feeling that a library, computer lab or any construction they have is their own, the functional aspect of each of them is lost. That’s why it is mandatory that either muscle or money has to be contributed from the community,” says Shrestha. But in a country like Nepal, setting certain criteria might fail at times or might not work as presumed. “Hence, we ask for the support but there is no hard and fast rule that the community has to put in a certain amount. It is just about raising a feeling of ownership. And the functional aspect is more important,” says Shrestha. Today Room To Read works in Nepal from three regional offices. “Starting with the library, there are now several schools where we have established computer labs,” says Shrestha. In the beginning, Room To Read Nepal distributed several books to the schools. But to attract more and more children and to develop a habit of reading in students, more had to be accomplished. “We thought why not produce some children’s books with local content — text as well as illustrations. Hence we started working with some children’s book writers. Unfortunately, that didn’t work. Today we have generated 22 sets of books on different topics, which not only teach students about moral and social values but are equally attractive with lots of illustrations that draw the attention of students and coaxes them to visit the library,” explains Shrestha. Way to go Shrestha! Cheers Room to Read Nepal!