097 / Elok, Alor Regency, East Nusa Tenggara
Until a few months ago, SMPN Lamotena Karangle, in Alor Timur, NTT had no libraries or access to any good quality books. Their small village is so remote that it has had no access to electricity or internet connection for many years. Mr. Roy Prismayudi, the principal of the school and Krisna Putri from Linguahub Bali then together had an initiative to build a child-friendly library, along with all the school students and their parents.
A Kitabisa crowdfunding campaign was then set up and after one year of ups and downs in building the library together, the children of Karangle now can read a variety of books, including a number of Green-books’ environmental books that were funded by all of the Kitabisa crowdfunding donors. Both library founders consider environmental knowledge and awareness are fundamental to develop at a young age with the hope that these children can be agents of change in tackling climate issues in the future.
The books are now put in Taman Baca Lamotena, and accessed not only by the junior high school students, but by all children living in the school vicinity because the mini library is the only child-friendly library in the area.