A Village Library: Empowering Children with Safe Access to Information
To support the implementation of the Child-Friendly Village programme, the government of a Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI)-assisted village in Bengkayang Regency recognised the need to provide child-friendly access to information. Children inherently require access to accurate and beneficial information for their development. This is to ensure that children are not exposed to information that could harm their physical, mental, and social development. However, in many villages, access to child-friendly information remains a significant challenge amidst the onslaught of technology and social media. This was also the case in one of the WVI-assisted villages mentioned above, where a young girl named Laras lives.
To address this, WVI collaborated with the Village Government to establish a village library. This initiative is also part of efforts to implement village regulations on child protection, which mandate villages to provide child-friendly information. WVI further partnered with the Bengkayang Regency Library Department to train local communities on how to effectively manage a library.
"Previously, I was confused about where to go if I needed information for my school assignments. Additionally, I couldn't pursue my hobby of reading because there was no village library. The information I found online wasn't necessarily accurate or age-appropriate," explained Laras, who is also a member of the Child Forum in her village.
The presence of this village library has had a positive impact on other children in the village. Children can now access child-friendly information through the books available at the Village Library. "I often come to the library. Here, I can read the books I want and find peace when I'm reading. What's more, every year we receive new book donations from the Library Department. Our knowledge is also constantly updated with these new books," said the 13-year-old girl. The library has become a learning space and a place to discover new things. Furthermore, the village library building also serves as a location for the Child Forum to hold activities such as regular meetings and socialisations on various child protection issues.
When asked about the type of books she enjoys most, Laras said she prefers reading stories about people's life journeys. "I am motivated to become a better person and to be open to changes happening around me," Laras stated.
"Now, more and more children are coming to the library because it's a fun place. If a friend isn't busy at home, I invite them to read books at the library," Laras shared. This demonstrates that Laras not only enjoys her hobby alone but also wants to share her positive experiences with other children.
From her reading hobby, Laras hopes to improve her critical thinking skills and broaden her knowledge. "Additionally, I also hope our village can become a child-friendly village with the presence of the village library," she expressed. Laras also has aspirations to become smarter and more knowledgeable, and to achieve her big dreams in life, such as becoming a teacher, a policewoman, or a nurse.
Author: Lolita Octavienty (Field Facilitator from PPA TIKA), Kori Kornelia (Sponsorship Information Officer from WVI), Mira (Finance from PPA TIKA)
Editor: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)
