Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Trying their hand at dance, drama

Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE: For the little members of this growing literary movement, it was a meeting not quite like their routine weekly ones. Their get-together on Sunday had a new dimension to it. They explored their talents in dance, music and drama, interacting with the members of similar groups from other villages. More than 30 children from five villages in and around Coimbatore got together.

All of them are part of a mobile library group started by a non-Governmental Organisation called ’Adaiyalam’, in the interest of serving hundreds of children living in the fringes of the city who had no access to proper schooling . The library is a collection of reading material which is constantly circulated among the members “It has been organised with a view to expanding their horizons on literary tastes and also give them an opportunity to explore their own artistic interests,” said S.Amsaveni, Co-ordinator of the movement. “It is the first time that the movement is organising a “Nataka Vizha” for the children,” she added.

“The main objective of the movement is to spread the love of books among poor children, who have no opportunities to develop a reading habit,” said V.Dhandapani, Managing Trustee of Adaiyalam. The NGO sources books from an organisation in Chennai and accepts those donated by well wishers. Volunteers of Adaiyalam also help the children when they face difficulties in completing certain books. The children keep the books with themselves and after reading, pass them on to the others in the group.

In a survey carried out in 30 villages around the city by the volunteers of Adaiyalam last year, 50 per cent of the children going to schools did not know how to read or write. So, another aim of the reading club is to educate the children and encourage them to learn, Mr. Dhandapani said.

Those who wish to donate books to this library or sponsor uniforms for these children can contact Ms.Amsaveni at 9842151323.

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