Children reading at the Enhulumi Community Library
Morung Express News
Kigwema | May 8
A sort of ripple effect of community libraries is currently underway in Nagaland. One such example is the Enhulumi Community Library which was launched in February this year under the initiative of and in collaboration with the Community Library, Kigwema, which was initiated last year.
“For Enhulumi village with a population of 1014 under Phek district, this will be the first library for the village. “This is the first library in our Village. We don’t have either indoor or outdoor library,” informed Eyiekhroli Lohe, who along with Welhitshe Lohe collaborated with the Community Library Kigwema to set up the community library in Enhulumi.
With most youth spending more time on their mobile phones and the internet, leading to dying art of reading, Eyiekhroli noted. In order to revive the reading culture, the need to set up Enhulumi Community Library was felt, Eyiekhroli added.
The library is a modest one: the shelves wad constructed by a group of friends from Enhulumi village while the contribution Rs 3000 by a well-wisher was utilised during the process of setting up the library as well as the launch.
During the launching event on February 19, older folks shared their appreciation over the initiative for community development.
Former Enhulumi Community leaders also recalled how the agenda to set up a library in the village was planned however, the vision never materialised. Hence, they acknowledged the effort of the Community Library Kigwema in fulfilling their aspiration.
Eyiekhroli shared that the responses to the community library has been very positive with various bodies like Village Council, VDBs, Women society, Youth society, Students Union and individuals expressing appreciation and extending support to the initiative.
The objective of the Enhulumi Community library remains the same: To revive the dying art of read, make books easily accessible and available, drive positive actions and change, and Community Development, explained Akho Phira, Founder of the Community Library Kigwema.
At present, the collection of books at the Enhulumi Community library have been contributed by a few well-wishers, and mostly by the Community Library Kigwema which were received largely from individual contributors and Goonj office Kolkata.
As with new initiatives, Eyiekhroli noted that people tend to shy away to readily access the books and are a little reserved to the idea of reading outdoors. While the village is yet to catch up with the culture of reading, she expressed optimism saying that ‘day-by-day and week-by-week’ there is an increase in confidence and interest in reading.
“We hope this initiative will open the eyes of the people of the village to explore the world through reading, and develop each mind to live in peace and serenity,” the collaborator added.