Patna: Adjudged as the poorest district of Bihar by Niti Aayog (2021), Kishanganj also happens to be a district with a very low level of literacy. But, following a recent library movement launched by some enthusiastic youths led by Saquib Ahmad, this district is coming out of the shadows, holding great promise for many underprivileged children.The movement gave birth to the formation of the Seemanchal Library Foundation, which ultimately set up three rural libraries in the district. All three libraries are blazing a trail by motivating the children of marginalised sections of society towards education. More than 200 children, many of whom have never been to school, are visiting the libraries daily, gaining exposure to the world of knowledge.Mariam Hansda, Devashri Murmu, Ritika Murmu, and at least 30 other tribal girls visit the Fatima Sheikh Library in Damalbadi village under Pothia block of Kishanganj district in the afternoon without fail and study there for three to four hours. They are very inquisitive to learn about science, geography, and history. During the day, they perform domestic chores or work in their fields. Some of them even graze buffaloes.Similarly, other boys and girls of the district visit the Savitri Bai Phule Library in Belwa village and the Rukaiyya Sakhawat Library at Janta Kanhaiya Badi village in Kochadhaman block of Kishanganj.There are about 4,000 books in these three libraries, which include literature, biographies, children’s stories, and painting books, among others.“We will make some school books available as well so that underprivileged children can read them. We have also decided that we will not keep books of any religion,” Hasnain adds. There is promising attendance in these libraries, and hundreds of children visit them every day. Most of them are from dalit communities and children of daily wage workers. Many of them work in the fields all day before coming to the libraries to read and learn, said Hasnain.The Seemanchal Library Foundation plans to open libraries in every panchayat in Kishanganj district and a central library in the town.“We have a population of around 20 lakh in Kishanganj but no libraries. People have no access to books. The reading habit is poor here, so we want to change this scenario. We want people to love books,” said Hasnain.
