Gifting books, forging friendship that lasts long

Rather than giving a financial contribution or donation, KV, Pattom, plans a long-term relationship by forging friendships through the mutual love for books.

Connecting through books: Members of the Readers’ Club, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom, with students of Government Upper Primary School, Ulloor.

Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom, has built a vibrant reading culture among its students over the past few years and now the school is keen on spreading the same enthusiasm among schools that are not as privileged. On Thursday, around 40 students of the KV Readers’ Club visited Government Upper Primary School, Ulloor, here and gifted a collection of 450 books under the Library Social Connect programme, launched last year.

‘Gift a Book, Get a Friend,’ the motto of the programme, effectively summarises why this initiative is being followed. Rather than giving a financial contribution or donation, KV, Pattom, plans a long-term relationship by forging friendships through the mutual love for books.

In addition to helping children in schools that lack a well-stocked library to get access to the world of literature, the programme also sensitises the Reading Club members to social reality beyond the school walls.

KV, Pattom, Principal S. Ajayakumar inaugurated the function on Thursday and presented the books to his Government UPS, Ulloor, counterpart V. Dharan.

Cultural programmes

After the function, the students of both schools got together to present skits, recite poems and sing songs. The KV students were then taken around the school grounds where they interacted with the students and staff of the Ulloor school.

Stationery items, sweets and toys were also given to the students of Ulloor school who number only 37 — just one of the many government schools in the State that is witnessing a decline in student strength.

Parent-Teacher Association president D. Prashobhithan, Mothers’ PTA president Sindhukumari and others were present.

Coordinator of the event and librarian of KV, Pattom, S.L. Faisal said that the readers’ club was planning to hold more such events in the coming months. Last year, they had gifted books to Government UPS, Palkulangara.

On Saturday, KV, Pattom, will observe National Library Week by organising the DEAR, Drop Everything And Read, programme when every single member of the school, as the name suggests, will abandon whatever they are preoccupied with and pick up a book or article to read.