KARACHI - Jawwad Ahmed Mazari, 13, was not able to attend school because of financial constraints and lack of time as he has to work in the field with his father in a far flung area of Karampur town, in the southern province of Sindh.

Now he has got a novel opportunity to continue his education thanks to the new village book club.

“I have recently joined this club, where I go five days a week at evenings after finishing my work,” Mazari, who along with his peasant father work in fields of a local landlord, told IslamOnline.net.

The club has been established in a two-room small building with the help of the local community, where one room is for collection while the other serves as reading room.

Currently, it has 40 members, including Mazari, who spend time in reading books of their interest after finishing their works.

“The timing of this club suits me. I can go after finishing my work.”

The National Book Foundation (NBF), a government body that promotes literature, poetry and other educational activities, has recently launched the village club project to promote literacy and reading habits among youths and women in rural areas.

“Reading had once been a matter of pride in sub-continent, but unfortunately, this tradition is dying. We are trying to rejuvenate this dying tradition as reading can change lives,” Mazhar-ul-Islam, the Foundation’s managing director, told IOL.

According to official figures, the literacy rate in the Asian Muslim country is around 60 percent.

“Special preference is given to the youths and children to become members of these clubs, which will benefit them in many ways,” notes Islam.

“Women too are encouraged to become members as a literate mother can build a literate society.”

Initially, ten book clubs have been established in far-flung areas of all the four provinces. Five more clubs will be established in the next few weeks.

Books on fiction, poetry, humor, travel, Religion, history, folklore and agriculture will be available at the clubs for in-house reading and lending.

Prominent figures such as Amjad Islam Amjad, Asghar Nadeem Syed, Mustansar Hussein Tarar, Dr Ajmal Niazi, Maula Baksh Chandio, Atta-ul-Haq Qasmi and others have donated their own collections for the clubs.

Change Through Education

The village book clubs are apparently an effort to contain the youth, seen as being inclined towards militancy due to poverty, unemployment and lack of education.

“The idea behind this project is to attract our youths towards peace, tolerance and harmony through education,” admits Islam, the NBF director.

Members of these clubs will take part in discussions on different subjects led by well-known writers, poets and authors on regular basis.

“Various famous poets and writers have agreed to become our book ambassadors,” asserted Islam.

“They will visit these clubs all over the country on regular basis and meet the members,” he added.

“This all is aimed at encouraging and boosting the morale of our youths in rural areas who are wasting their time in unhealthy activities.

“The rural youth has a great potential and we are just trying to explore that through these clubs.”

The National Book Foundation says its village book club is being welcomed by the different local communities.

“Response from local communities regarding establishment of book clubs is overwhelming,” says Director Islam.

“In Sindh province, spaces for book clubs have been provided by the local community.”

Mazari, 13, is a case in point.

“My parents are very happy that I have got an opportunity to study,” he said.

“He (father) always wanted to enroll me into school but I could not go because I have to work,” he added.

“Most of us work in the morning along with our parents or at local hotels and shops. We had had nothing to do after working hours, but now we have something very positive to do.”