Shirin Library and Reading Garden
Donation protected
I am raising money to purchase books, furniture and outdoor seating for a community library and reading garden in Shahrak Ettifaq, an impoverished and remote area of Southwest Kabul in Afghanistan.
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Library Background and Objectives
Shirin Library and Reading Garden is expected to help improve the literacy skills of children and youth. Making books, rich literature, and a study space available to an impoverished community helps with equal access to information and quality education for all. Besides access to literature, both the Library and Reading Garden will avail a quiet space for reading and studying. This is particularly important in a context such as Afghanistan since half the households of Afghanistan have nine or more residents, with at least 44% having three or more people living in one room (CSO, 2018). This creates an undesirable condition for readers and students. In addition, it would also provide the civil society and other youth groups with a free and healthy space to discuss and create solutions for community issues, which would help with creating peace, justice, and strong institutions within the community.
Shirin Library is located in Shahrak Ettifaq, an impoverished and remote area in Southwest Kabul. Located within the thirteenth district, Shahrak Ettifaq is home to almost ten thousand households (Ebrahimi, 2018) and is one of the most populated areas of Kabul. However, there is only one public school in the area, the Faiz Muhammad Katib School, which is packed with students. This has led the locals to either resort to private schools or to not send their children to schools at all (Nasrullah, Personal Communication, May 15, 2018). Despite being in the capital city, Shahrak Ettifaq also has a very high crime rate, and recent overnight armed robberies have further constrained the inhabitants of the area (Ebrahimi, 2018). Low quality of life, poverty, crime, the absence of educational facilities, and a poor social environment might affect children and teenagers, making them easy prey to drug mafias and other issues in the area (Shir Ahmad, Personal Communication, May 1, 2018).
In July 2018, the construction of the library building was completed with a 7-meter decagonal architecture. Shirin Library was built with my personal budget, but on my father’s land in Shahrak Ettifaq. The library was designed as projected in Figure 1. Figures 2, 3, and 4 show the current condition of the library.
[Figure 1: Shirin Library Design ]
[Figure 2: Books and Shelves]
[Figure 3: Interior Structure and Design]
[Figure 4: Exterior Structure]
Beneficiaries
This community library is designed for beneficiaries of all ages, so it can be used for different purposes, including reading, trainings, meetings, film screenings, etc. The direct beneficiaries of this library are the literate percentage of the population in the area, especially the literate youth and children of school age, and other literate and illiterate participants of the workshops and trainings. The indirect beneficiary could include the entire population of the area, and perhaps some from other areas too. Since Shirin Library is currently the only public library, not only in Shahrak Ettifaq but also in the entire Thirteenth and Eighteenth Districts of Kabul[1], they are all part of the direct and indirect beneficiaries of the library.
Library Components
All types of fiction and non-fiction books will be provided for public use. Since the library is located in one of the most conservative and controversial areas (the border between Hazara and Pashtun communities), moderate religious books would also be accommodated at the library for community acceptance and tolerance purposes. Another major part of this library will be a green space as the reading garden, established on an area of 2,700 square meters by building grape trellises and planting grass, flowers, and trees. These trellises will provide natural sunshades and after installing metal benches and tables, the space will be open to the community for reading, studying, and holding meetings.
Besides providing diverse types of books and literature and facilitating a safe, green, and quiet space for reading, studying, meetings, and trainings, especially for girls, I plan to focus on the following activities:
· Interactive reading sessions for children. Children will take part in reading, reflect on the books they read (such as story-books, poems, etc.), ask questions, create content, etc. These regular a book-reading/story-telling sessions will be lead by female volunteers, which could encourage girls to read books and to learn leadership skills.
· School trips. Primary and secondary teachers are asked to bring the students to the Shirin Library and Reading Garden, so they get familiar with print materials and to encourage them to read.
· Training for women and youth on diverse topics. Experts on different topics (such as women’s health, first-aid training, etc.) will be encouraged to share their knowledge with the community. By providing these workshops or capacity building trainings, the library will promote good health and well-being, gender equality, and quality education at many levels.
· Book-club activities. Different clubs will be formed for book-reading and discussions.
· Theatre. Regular Interactive Forum Theatre workshops and performances for members of the community will be conducted. The goal is to develop many problem-posing Forum Theatre (FT) performances covering some of the key challenges/problems faced by girls, women, children and young people in the community. The theatre plays will be developed based on the real-life experiences of the community members. The problem-posing FT plays will be performed for the local community and the audience will be invited to discuss the problem and propose solutions to the problems faced by members of the same community.
· Film screening. Monthly film-screening will be planned for participants of different ages and groups.
· Additional activities as needed.
Need for Books and other Facilities
Since Shirin Library has no funding or contribution from any project or organization of any kind, the pending needs for books, furniture, and outdoor seating for the reading-garden requires public contribution. Currently, the Library is equipped with the building decorated with paintings and calligraphy, land for the reading garden, bookshelves [2,3], carpeting and cushions, 150 books and a projector for workshops and film screenings.
The following are pending needs (estimated budget is provided):
Librarian Salary ($3600)
A librarian is needed for the library to manage the library and projects, keep a record of books, and facilitate memberships so the beneficiaries can borrow books. (If paid $150 per month, a year’s salary would be $1,800). At least two years’ salary should be ensured.
Books ($ 5,565)
Currently, the library has space for more than 4,000 books without limiting the space for reading, holding meetings or workshops inside the building. Later more shelves can be installed, and mobile shelves can be built. Therefore, there is no limit to how many books can be provided to the library. A minimum of 1,000 books should be purchased[4], estimating that 3,000 or more books will be collected from individuals and organizations, particularly relevant NGOs.
Computer ($800)
A computer is needed for the librarian’s use to keep a record of books and memberships.
Stationary ($200)
Stationary will be needed for books and shelves labeling. A minimum amount of $200 per year is estimated.
Grape trellis, benches, etc. ($ 950)
Estimated cost of grape trellis: $500; Estimated cost of benches: $300; Estimated cost of grape plants and soil: $150
Solar water pump for the reading garden ($ 350)
For sustainability and efficiency of the reading garden, the water must be free of cost.
Conference table and chairs ($400)
This is needed for furnishing a reading and studying space inside the library. Besides, plastic chairs will be purchased for workshops, film screenings, theatre, and other activities.
Projection screen curtain ($100)
This item will be needed for film screenings and workshops.
Total
$ 11,965
This amount has been rounded up to USD $13,500 to cover GoFundMe costs, payment processor fee, the estimated fixed cost associated with every donation and other costs such as the current fluctuating currency rate in Afghanistan.
End Notes
[1] The estimated number of households in the Thirteenth District (2018-2019) = 41,016 (CSO, 2018a); average household size (2016-2017)= 7.7 (CSO, 2018b); therefore, total estimated population = 315, 823.
[2] Research shows wood bookshelves are harmful to books due to its acidic nature and harmful chemicals used in glue (Massmann, 2000).
[3] Almost half the shelves are installed on walls, for now, to save more space for workshops, readings sessions, workshops, etc. The number of shelves can be expanded later, and portable shelves can be installed once needed.
[4] Based on a list of 513 books and their prices from one of the main bookstores in Kabul, the average price per book is 422 AFN. To purchase at least 1,000 books, we would need 422,000 AFN which is equivalent to $ 5,565.
References
Central Statistics Organization. (2018a). Afghanistan Living Conditions Survey 2016-17. Highlights report. Kabul, CSO.
Central Statistics Organization. (2018b). Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2018-2019. Kabul, CSO.
Ebrahimi, B. “The insecurities of Shahrak Itifaq: armed insurgencies that have not been solved.” January 28, 2018. Yash News. Retrieved from https://yash.news/?p=6841 on August 15, 2018.
Massmann, Ann. (2000). The Wood Shelving Dilemma. LRTS. 44 (4), 209-213.
Ministry of Education (MoE). (2016). National Education Strategic Plan 2017-2021. MoE.
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Library Background and Objectives
Shirin Library and Reading Garden is expected to help improve the literacy skills of children and youth. Making books, rich literature, and a study space available to an impoverished community helps with equal access to information and quality education for all. Besides access to literature, both the Library and Reading Garden will avail a quiet space for reading and studying. This is particularly important in a context such as Afghanistan since half the households of Afghanistan have nine or more residents, with at least 44% having three or more people living in one room (CSO, 2018). This creates an undesirable condition for readers and students. In addition, it would also provide the civil society and other youth groups with a free and healthy space to discuss and create solutions for community issues, which would help with creating peace, justice, and strong institutions within the community.
Shirin Library is located in Shahrak Ettifaq, an impoverished and remote area in Southwest Kabul. Located within the thirteenth district, Shahrak Ettifaq is home to almost ten thousand households (Ebrahimi, 2018) and is one of the most populated areas of Kabul. However, there is only one public school in the area, the Faiz Muhammad Katib School, which is packed with students. This has led the locals to either resort to private schools or to not send their children to schools at all (Nasrullah, Personal Communication, May 15, 2018). Despite being in the capital city, Shahrak Ettifaq also has a very high crime rate, and recent overnight armed robberies have further constrained the inhabitants of the area (Ebrahimi, 2018). Low quality of life, poverty, crime, the absence of educational facilities, and a poor social environment might affect children and teenagers, making them easy prey to drug mafias and other issues in the area (Shir Ahmad, Personal Communication, May 1, 2018).
In July 2018, the construction of the library building was completed with a 7-meter decagonal architecture. Shirin Library was built with my personal budget, but on my father’s land in Shahrak Ettifaq. The library was designed as projected in Figure 1. Figures 2, 3, and 4 show the current condition of the library.
[Figure 1: Shirin Library Design ][Figure 2: Books and Shelves][Figure 3: Interior Structure and Design][Figure 4: Exterior Structure]Beneficiaries
This community library is designed for beneficiaries of all ages, so it can be used for different purposes, including reading, trainings, meetings, film screenings, etc. The direct beneficiaries of this library are the literate percentage of the population in the area, especially the literate youth and children of school age, and other literate and illiterate participants of the workshops and trainings. The indirect beneficiary could include the entire population of the area, and perhaps some from other areas too. Since Shirin Library is currently the only public library, not only in Shahrak Ettifaq but also in the entire Thirteenth and Eighteenth Districts of Kabul[1], they are all part of the direct and indirect beneficiaries of the library.
Library Components
All types of fiction and non-fiction books will be provided for public use. Since the library is located in one of the most conservative and controversial areas (the border between Hazara and Pashtun communities), moderate religious books would also be accommodated at the library for community acceptance and tolerance purposes. Another major part of this library will be a green space as the reading garden, established on an area of 2,700 square meters by building grape trellises and planting grass, flowers, and trees. These trellises will provide natural sunshades and after installing metal benches and tables, the space will be open to the community for reading, studying, and holding meetings.
Besides providing diverse types of books and literature and facilitating a safe, green, and quiet space for reading, studying, meetings, and trainings, especially for girls, I plan to focus on the following activities:
· Interactive reading sessions for children. Children will take part in reading, reflect on the books they read (such as story-books, poems, etc.), ask questions, create content, etc. These regular a book-reading/story-telling sessions will be lead by female volunteers, which could encourage girls to read books and to learn leadership skills.
· School trips. Primary and secondary teachers are asked to bring the students to the Shirin Library and Reading Garden, so they get familiar with print materials and to encourage them to read.
· Training for women and youth on diverse topics. Experts on different topics (such as women’s health, first-aid training, etc.) will be encouraged to share their knowledge with the community. By providing these workshops or capacity building trainings, the library will promote good health and well-being, gender equality, and quality education at many levels.
· Book-club activities. Different clubs will be formed for book-reading and discussions.
· Theatre. Regular Interactive Forum Theatre workshops and performances for members of the community will be conducted. The goal is to develop many problem-posing Forum Theatre (FT) performances covering some of the key challenges/problems faced by girls, women, children and young people in the community. The theatre plays will be developed based on the real-life experiences of the community members. The problem-posing FT plays will be performed for the local community and the audience will be invited to discuss the problem and propose solutions to the problems faced by members of the same community.
· Film screening. Monthly film-screening will be planned for participants of different ages and groups.
· Additional activities as needed.
Need for Books and other Facilities
Since Shirin Library has no funding or contribution from any project or organization of any kind, the pending needs for books, furniture, and outdoor seating for the reading-garden requires public contribution. Currently, the Library is equipped with the building decorated with paintings and calligraphy, land for the reading garden, bookshelves [2,3], carpeting and cushions, 150 books and a projector for workshops and film screenings.
The following are pending needs (estimated budget is provided):
Librarian Salary ($3600)
A librarian is needed for the library to manage the library and projects, keep a record of books, and facilitate memberships so the beneficiaries can borrow books. (If paid $150 per month, a year’s salary would be $1,800). At least two years’ salary should be ensured.
Books ($ 5,565)
Currently, the library has space for more than 4,000 books without limiting the space for reading, holding meetings or workshops inside the building. Later more shelves can be installed, and mobile shelves can be built. Therefore, there is no limit to how many books can be provided to the library. A minimum of 1,000 books should be purchased[4], estimating that 3,000 or more books will be collected from individuals and organizations, particularly relevant NGOs.
Computer ($800)
A computer is needed for the librarian’s use to keep a record of books and memberships.
Stationary ($200)
Stationary will be needed for books and shelves labeling. A minimum amount of $200 per year is estimated.
Grape trellis, benches, etc. ($ 950)
Estimated cost of grape trellis: $500; Estimated cost of benches: $300; Estimated cost of grape plants and soil: $150
Solar water pump for the reading garden ($ 350)
For sustainability and efficiency of the reading garden, the water must be free of cost.
Conference table and chairs ($400)
This is needed for furnishing a reading and studying space inside the library. Besides, plastic chairs will be purchased for workshops, film screenings, theatre, and other activities.
Projection screen curtain ($100)
This item will be needed for film screenings and workshops.
Total
$ 11,965
This amount has been rounded up to USD $13,500 to cover GoFundMe costs, payment processor fee, the estimated fixed cost associated with every donation and other costs such as the current fluctuating currency rate in Afghanistan.
End Notes
[1] The estimated number of households in the Thirteenth District (2018-2019) = 41,016 (CSO, 2018a); average household size (2016-2017)= 7.7 (CSO, 2018b); therefore, total estimated population = 315, 823.
[2] Research shows wood bookshelves are harmful to books due to its acidic nature and harmful chemicals used in glue (Massmann, 2000).
[3] Almost half the shelves are installed on walls, for now, to save more space for workshops, readings sessions, workshops, etc. The number of shelves can be expanded later, and portable shelves can be installed once needed.
[4] Based on a list of 513 books and their prices from one of the main bookstores in Kabul, the average price per book is 422 AFN. To purchase at least 1,000 books, we would need 422,000 AFN which is equivalent to $ 5,565.
References
Central Statistics Organization. (2018a). Afghanistan Living Conditions Survey 2016-17. Highlights report. Kabul, CSO.
Central Statistics Organization. (2018b). Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2018-2019. Kabul, CSO.
Ebrahimi, B. “The insecurities of Shahrak Itifaq: armed insurgencies that have not been solved.” January 28, 2018. Yash News. Retrieved from https://yash.news/?p=6841 on August 15, 2018.
Massmann, Ann. (2000). The Wood Shelving Dilemma. LRTS. 44 (4), 209-213.
Ministry of Education (MoE). (2016). National Education Strategic Plan 2017-2021. MoE.
Organizer and beneficiary
Rabia Salihi
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC
Julia Diez d'Aux
Beneficiary