100 Library
Help us build 100 Child-Friendly Libraries in all elementary schools in the Lease Islands and Banda Islands, Maluku Province, as a pilot model for a sustainable island literacy development program.
The Problem
Based on data from national and international sources, many students in Indonesia struggle to understand simple stories and perform simple calculations.
A policy report by INOVASI (a partnership between the Indonesian and Australian governments) states that only 47% of second-grade students achieve sufficient reading fluency and comprehension to enter third grade. Meanwhile, the problem rate in Eastern Indonesia (including East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and Papua) is about twice the national average.
So, how do we shape critically-minded children to become future leaders of Maluku?
Our Idea
Literacy is central to our strategy. More than just a skill, literacy is a lifelong gateway to knowledge, empowerment, and the preservation of our cultural heritage. By increasing literacy rates across Maluku, we want to ensure that Maluku’s people can access information, express themselves effectively, and preserve their cultural heritage through writing.
Research shows that, when combined with a supportive environment, initiatives focused on reading skills and reading habits can lead to significant and sustainable improvements in children’s reading levels, especially when implemented as early as possible.
Therefore, we partner with schools to build libraries that support student learning and advocate the government to ensure every child has access to a child-friendly library filled with developmentally appropriate, diverse, and engaging books.
However, one challenge is the sustainability of the operation and management of these libraries. This challenge is further exacerbated by the complex sociological and geographic challenges unique to the region.
100 Child-Friendly Libraries
We aim to create a pilot project by establishing 100 Child-Friendly Libraries in elementary schools in the Lease Islands and Banda Islands. The choice of levels and locations is based on our intention to create this as a mini-model representing the broader challenges in Maluku and Indonesia as an archipelagic nation. We intend to collaborate with researchers from local and international universities to ensure the comprehensiveness and reliability of our operational model, which can serve as a blueprint for further development across the Indonesian archipelago.
Donation Needs
Our project is far from complete. To reach our target, we need to establish more than 80 libraries over the next several years, through 2027.
Funding for each library will be used for renovations, book and equipment purchases, librarian training, teacher training, and operational monitoring for the first 18 months. The goal is to ensure effective and sustainable library use, with programs well-integrated into the teaching framework for each grade.
By supporting this project, partners and donors are contributing not only to improving the literacy of the current cohort of students, but also to each subsequent generation of students by providing a safe and effective space for children’s intellectual and emotional development.
For individual donations, please use the donation button below. For corporate donations or other CSR project ideas, please contact us to discuss further.