Bhubaneswar: ‘big sisterHe has already earned a lot of respect and admiration since he established the first open library on the roadside art college In Malkangiri.
After a year of that effort that . has made dear to a group of tribal women For the local people, ‘Bada Didi’ extended the library facilities to the remote Bonda hills, about 60 km from Malkangiri.
Feather DiwaliWomen brought light of knowledge in Mudulipada village Khairput Block. The library has 80 books in Odia, Hindi and English languages and is meant for competitive examinations and classroom study. The libraries are modeled on a similar initiative that began in Nirjuli, Arunachal Pradesh, and which in turn was inspired by the bird-box libraries in Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram.
Bonda Hills Library was inaugurated by 50-year-old Chhanaki Kirsani, a Bonda woman who supports higher education for girls and often persuades them to study rather than migrate to work as daily wage laborers . Presently, the library remains open from 8 am to 8 pm and gives a chance to read books as well as borrow.
“We set up the library in Bonda hills as the children of this area are unable to attend online classes due to non-availability of internet. Books will be of great help to the youth in higher education,” said Jayanti Buruda, a volunteer of 60-odd tribal women’s organization ‘Bada Didi’.
A few years ago, volunteers had set up a library in the Malyabant hostel in which the orphans lived, but when the response was not encouraging, they shifted it to the College of Arts.
Around Rs 10,000 was spent on the construction, transportation and lighting of the Bonda Hills Library. This money was provided by Block Development Officer (Kalimela) Uma Shankar Dalei, volunteers and two of his friends. “Opening a library in the remote Bonda hill area is a great initiative by the girls. I contributed to support his effort,” said Dalei, who gave Rs 3,000.
Two volunteers – Sukanti Kirsani, a Plus III commerce student, and Sumit Sisa, a graduate (both from the Bonda tribe) – will look after the library. They have also installed two chairs for the convenience of reading. The library will also benefit about 80 boys and girls residing in the two Sevashram hostels of Mudulipada. “Students from the six villages will benefit as they often have to come to the place to catch a bus to reach the block headquarters,” Buruda said.
The members of ‘Bada Didi’ come from the Paraja, Koya, Bhumiya, Kui Kandha and Bonda (a particularly vulnerable tribal group) tribes. On Diwali, he also gifted a refrigerator to Sukanti Kirsani, who sells vegetables in Mudulipada, but does not have space to store them.
After a year of that effort that . has made dear to a group of tribal women For the local people, ‘Bada Didi’ extended the library facilities to the remote Bonda hills, about 60 km from Malkangiri.
Feather DiwaliWomen brought light of knowledge in Mudulipada village Khairput Block. The library has 80 books in Odia, Hindi and English languages and is meant for competitive examinations and classroom study. The libraries are modeled on a similar initiative that began in Nirjuli, Arunachal Pradesh, and which in turn was inspired by the bird-box libraries in Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram.
Bonda Hills Library was inaugurated by 50-year-old Chhanaki Kirsani, a Bonda woman who supports higher education for girls and often persuades them to study rather than migrate to work as daily wage laborers . Presently, the library remains open from 8 am to 8 pm and gives a chance to read books as well as borrow.
“We set up the library in Bonda hills as the children of this area are unable to attend online classes due to non-availability of internet. Books will be of great help to the youth in higher education,” said Jayanti Buruda, a volunteer of 60-odd tribal women’s organization ‘Bada Didi’.
A few years ago, volunteers had set up a library in the Malyabant hostel in which the orphans lived, but when the response was not encouraging, they shifted it to the College of Arts.
Around Rs 10,000 was spent on the construction, transportation and lighting of the Bonda Hills Library. This money was provided by Block Development Officer (Kalimela) Uma Shankar Dalei, volunteers and two of his friends. “Opening a library in the remote Bonda hill area is a great initiative by the girls. I contributed to support his effort,” said Dalei, who gave Rs 3,000.
Two volunteers – Sukanti Kirsani, a Plus III commerce student, and Sumit Sisa, a graduate (both from the Bonda tribe) – will look after the library. They have also installed two chairs for the convenience of reading. The library will also benefit about 80 boys and girls residing in the two Sevashram hostels of Mudulipada. “Students from the six villages will benefit as they often have to come to the place to catch a bus to reach the block headquarters,” Buruda said.
The members of ‘Bada Didi’ come from the Paraja, Koya, Bhumiya, Kui Kandha and Bonda (a particularly vulnerable tribal group) tribes. On Diwali, he also gifted a refrigerator to Sukanti Kirsani, who sells vegetables in Mudulipada, but does not have space to store them.
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