New literacy project launched to foster love for reading

The launch of a new literacy project will provide more opportunities for children to develop a love for words and reading and inspire creativity within them.

The Little Libraries Project, a collaboration of the Prince Godwill D Fomusoh Foundation (PGDFF) Caribbean Inc., the Community Development Department, and the Massy Foundation, seeks to build equitable book access to under-resourced areas in an effort to build and inspire a love of reading. Under the initiative, 15 libraries will be placed at community centres across the island.

The first library was unveiled at the Parkinson Recreational Centre, The Pine, St Michael, on Tuesday.

Addressing the launch, Acting Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Davidson Ishmael said the ministry’s vision is for the initiative to be the impetus for much-needed empowerment within communities.

In fact, he said it was hoped that the initiative would serve as the foundation for the formation and revival of community reading clubs to ensure the sustainability of the mini libraries.

“Through its various agencies, the ministry commits to offering those reading clubs technical and financial support, and I am confident that our various partners who are here with us today will also pledge similar support,” Ishmael said.

He challenged residents of The Pine, the first to benefit from the Little Libraries Project, to be the forerunners in the formation of a new reading club.

Director of Massy Foundation (Barbados) Inc, Dawn Layne, said her organisation, in collaboration with the Massy companies in Barbados, had contributed$126 000 towards the Barbados is Booming project and the launch of Little Libraries at key locations across the island.

Noting that Massy’s contribution is an investment in the future, Layne said if Barbados is serious about education reform, a holistic approach to learning must be applied from the earliest stages of a child’s development.

“All education stakeholders must be involved in this journey – parents and custodians along with paediatricians, teachers, behavioural specialists, and even speech therapists – so that all of the necessary assessments for each child can be made from the earliest opportunity. This can serve to prevent children from falling through the cracks and ensure that each child can be supported in learning according to his or her specific needs,” she said.

The PGDFF is a registered non-profit organisation in the United States established to help children around the world in areas such as literacy, health and wellness, among others.

PGDFF Global Partnership Director Chris Ritchie, a former orphan, said he personally knows the benefit of the Little Libraries Project as he found comfort in reading books as a child.

“So, in partnership with the Massy Foundation, we are super excited to start the literacy programme specifically across different age demographics in areas that otherwise probably wouldn’t easily be able to access books.

“From there, [in phase two, through the Barbados is Blooming] project, we will be having seminars, workshops and actual community events, not just for children but also their parents and young adults,” Ritchie said.

Global Managing Director for the PGDFF Caribbean Inc., Anita Sundaram, recognised the woodworking and technology students of the Barbados Community College who have already built and beautifully painted two of the 15 libraries installed at the Parkinson Recreational Centre and the Ann Hill School.

Massy employee volunteers will assist with painting the remaining 13 Little Libraries when their assembly is completed.
(AH)