Impact on Children

Witnessing children blossom into curious readers, expressive artists, and confident thinkers.

Child Story

Bishal Das

Student of Kamrup Academy & NEET's Community Library regular

The first visit

Bishal, a student of Kamrup Academy in Guwahati, is a regular visitor to our library. His friend Sahil brought him to our library for the first time two years ago; a very shy boy, he did not talk or question anyone, but observed and explored the space while sitting in a corner of the reading room.

The library activist

He is now out of his shell and occupies a special place in our library: from keeping books in order, cleaning the bookshelves, participating in all the library activities and putting games back inside their boxes, Bishal is an active member of our library who keeps the educators busy with his curious, never-ending questions. He invites his school friends to visit the library, and his brother Ashish and friend Akash have also started coming to our library regularly; every day, he reads a storybook and tries to find another angle of the story or give it a different ending.

The award-winning storyteller

Bishal and his two friends create skits from the storybooks they read and perform them every week in our library. He participated in the state-level Storytelling Competition 2021, performing the story "Catch that crocodile" which he had read in our library, and won the second prize. His teachers appreciated his efforts and have noticed a remarkable change in him. "I have learned the art of storytelling at NEET. Our teachers at the library teach us so many things," Bishal says.

Busy bee Bishal

During the lockdown, Bishal kept in touch with the educators and shared how he is keeping himself busy during the long hours, discussing online courses for school students which he can join in the comfort of his home, and he has started writing a diary. In one of the conversations with the educator he said: "Ma'am, will my diary get famous some day, like Anne Frank's diary?"

Child Story

Azima Khatoon

Uzanbazar Govt. High School & Community Library Regular

A noisy girl? No, I am not afraid to speak

When we discussed with the regular students at the library how to share the responsibility of keeping the library in order, they suggested forming a student council, and the children decided to hold an election to elect a president. Azima, one of our more boisterous library students, was the first to step forward to "canvass" for the post of president, and her fiery and eloquent speech made her the first president of the council. That day she convinced us that she is much more than "a noisy girl".

A knack for performing

With her clear enunciation and vocal control and her ability to remember lyrics, Azima is an excellent singer who has now started singing lessons to her friends at the Community Library. She also has a flair for telling stories. The way she becomes one with the story and her capacity to modulate her tone according to the dialogue mesmerizes us.

A model student

A student of Uzanbazar Shishu Bidyalaya, Azima aced her annual exam and proved once again that she indeed is the model student of her class. This has not happened overnight; her dedication, hard work and adherence to the guidance of her teachers over time have paid off. Remembering her days at school before she became a member of the library, Azima expressed heartfelt gratitude to the educators in our library who made this possible.

The first trip that made the difference

While most students pack their bags to perhaps visit their grandparents' home during the holidays, Azima with her sister Taslima came to our library during the summer break of 2019. Her mother and brother work as daily wage labour, and Azima visits the library after doing the household chores. "The library has made me the person I am: it has given me the confidence that I can do well in every aspect of life," Azima says.

Child Story

Zomila Begum

Uzanbajar Shishu Vidyalaya & NEET's Community Library regular

The girl who smiles with her eyes

It was December when 7-year-old Zomila arrived in our Community Library with her elder sister Zarina. The library was filled with the hurly-burly of children and the educators were busy preparing them for an extempore speech competition; in the midst of all this, we decided to have a round of introductions of the new visitors, and when Zomila's turn came, she stood up and smiled, her eyes twinkling. Her sister told us that Zomila does not talk with anyone. It is not that she cannot speak; it is just that she chooses to not speak with everyone.

The first drawing

Zomila started spending days at the library watching her friends play. She would walk or lie on the carpet with a picture book or listen to stories, and she slowly started to open up, responding to our questions with "yes" or "no", wishing us "good morning" and saying "bye" before leaving the library. One day in January, she asked us to give her some paper, started to draw, and when she completed her drawing, showed us her masterpiece with a proud smile. Her sister Zarina couldn't believe it was Zomila's work; it took us some time to convince her. That day, Zomila started her journey of exploring her talents.

The first dance

Zarina came running to the educators and screamed: "Today Zomila will dance. She has learned to dance by watching YouTube dance tutorial videos." The song was played and Zomila started her dance, all the children crowded around her and cheered for her, and it was a good day for her as she laughed and danced.

A new Zomila

Zomila is now playing a pairing game with her new friend Moromi, a new visitor whom Zomila is lecturing on easy ways to find pairs; after playing, she gathers the play cards and puts them inside the box, then takes her friend for a tour of the library, showing her the books, paintings and other games they can play together. From the girl who refused to talk, Zomila has already come a long way. Her journey has only just begun, one filled with hope, opportunities and endless possibilities waiting to be explored.