What a difference time, training and leadership makes.

A few years ago the library in Tzumpango, Guatemala was much like any municipal library in the country. It had a few well-guarded books and almost no children’s books. Lending practices were restricted to approved teachers and for students only under very strict guidelines. In other words, few books were ever accessible for children to read.

Things are different now.

After three years of Child Aid trainings, head librarian Yolanda Taquiej has made tremendous changes.

Yolanda’s first goal was to bring books to children by creating a lending program. Child Aid donated over 150 new Spanish-language story books and she began making a full inventory of their collection by cataloging the books using the Dewey Decimal System. Then she began loaning books, a practice which is practically non-existent in Guatemala. The library now loans out around 175 books a month, and has not lost a single book! Yolanda also implemented Child Aid’s Hour of Reading program to promote better reading skills for the community’s children. This year a small group of students have been coming to the library once a week to read a book together.

She asked for the Mayor’s approval to renovate a small community building to be used as a Rincón Infantil (Children’s Corner). The Mayor agreed and the community cleaned and painted the building, repaired the roof, and set up bookshelves. The community is inaugurating the space by implementing Child Aid’s Adventures in Reading, a school-year break program that helps children develop better reading skills. Thirty kids now participate in this program every day.

When Yolanda began working in the library there were about 50 users a day. Now over 200 users come to the library every day to read books and to participate in Child Aid’s reading programs. These are huge strides in a community that just a few years ago had an inaccessible library and no literacy programs.

This is a great example of how committed individuals in a community can create better learning opportunities for their children when given support, resources and materials they need. Thanks to Child Aid’s donors for helping make this possible for Tzumpango and many other communities.