IBBY-Yamada 2014: Bolivia

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In many parts of Bolivia, families have no books and there is no culture of reading. IBBY Bolivia, together with Taller de Experiencias Pedagogicas and the Thuruchapitas Library, began a project in the San Miguel neighbourhood of Cochabamba to encourage reading and storytelling within families.

Ten teachers from Taller de Experiencias Pedagogicas were trained in methods of storytelling, reading aloud and reading promotion. In addition a group of women from the community were trained to promote the project and to take part in the reading meetings. One evening a week for four months the trained teachers travelled in the bus of the Thuruchapitas Library, bringing books to selected families. The meetings happened in the evening because during the day children are in school and the parents are at work. The meetings usually took place outdoors, on the street or in a yard. The books selected included stories, novels and magazines that were related to the reality in which these families live. There were fifteen families involved, including children, parents, grandparents and other relatives, in total about one hundred people. It is hoped that this can be the beginning of a reading culture in this community.