For those who thought that one cannot buy anything for oneand two rupees, think again. A little enterprise in Taleigao is set to curbsuch notions and has made the price of knowledge really affordable. Bookworm ismuch more than just a library. It is a place for families to get together andpromote healthy reading habits, introduce children to the world of books andalso broaden their horizons outside the realm of academics. Not to mention thevarious activities for underprivileged children that Bookworm has undertaken inorder to make a difference in society.
Sujata says “Bookworm has too much of an association withbeing just a library. We are so much more than that. We have three otherprogrammes besides the library “ the book treasury, the mobile outlookprogramme and publishing. We also have heritage walks through the city forchildren - a concept relatively new to Goa”. The heritage walk has a booktitled ‘Cholta Cholta’ and breakfast to go with it. And this year they havealso added a cultural walk to the program which will start in October. Thisinformative stroll through the city covers different places right from thechurch to even Reis Magos fort and also places that are off the beaten track.‘Cholta Cholta’, published by Bookworm serves as a useful guide that is wellillustrated and child friendly.
The Mobile Out Reach program takes the experience ofstory-telling and books out to the children of some of the poorestsocio-economic groups in Goa and this year they will be adding Taleigao andCacra village to the places they visit as well as the National Association ofthe Blind. Elaine says, “The mobile outreach program (MOP) is in dire need offunding. It is a volunteer driven program which is not sustainable. We needmore teachers and big book formats (they are digitally enlarged books, makingreading easier for children), which are abominably expensive. Big books arevery effective teaching tools and really capture the interest of the children.”
Since its inception, Bookworm has struggled to bring the joyof reading to children. Despite battling odds that almost saw them shut shop,they have diversified, raised funds and added new members to their growing teamdetermined to make a mark on the literary horizon in Goa.
