Education has always been a very important matter in everyone’s life, and the power of books should never be underestimated. Some people can easily reach valuable books while others find it really hard to afford them or going all the way to get them. But guess what? you can always find books in libraries and you can also get them for free!
A library is the delivery room for the birth of ideas, a place where history comes to life.
Norman Cousins
Dream Big
Khouloud is a young Tunisian teacher of Arabic who participated with her dream project in a Youth Club Forum in 2017. Her project eventually won because the jury believed that it is very motivational and would help youth better develop their personalities and skills.
Roots of The Idea
Khouloud spent her life in libraries devouring books and getting the most out of them. There was that one small library in her neighborhood which unfortunately got locked. It was left behind and children made of it their place to play football. She felt so bad about it and decided to revive it no matter what.
Things got easier after getting the confirmation from the Youth Forum she took part in, and with the help of many people such as friends, family, volunteers and sponsors, she made her dream come true gradually.
When in The Making
Khouloud started by radically reconstructing and moving the library to a better location. She even invested in new and valuable books. Khouloud then tried several ways to get people’s attention back to the new library and called it ‘Maktbetna’ which means our library in Arabic. She said ‘ I chose weird colors to attract people and make them question why these colors exactly? And this strategy worked out perfectly!’
On Track
The library got on track. You can find skilled teachers, trainers and instructors who are supervising workshops, training and private languages lessons, along with subjects. Moreover, all workshops and courses are given voluntarily and for free. This was exactly the ultimate goal of Khouloud: to provide youth with the training and knowledge they need. Clearly, her great sense of volunteerism got her to where she is today.
Lately, they organized free revision courses for the Baccalaureate students, which was kind of them and inspiring for other libraries and organizations.
Positive Feedback
People are so satisfied and more interested in the project. It is perfect for all ages: Kids, pupils, students and even adults who are fond of reading or personal development training. Everyone would certainly find suitable activities for them. ‘Maktbetna’ got popular thanks to the media and group’s hard work.
Just for The Record
At first, no one believed in Khouloud’s idea thinking it is impossible because the library was a total mess. As she said when I attended her speech in a success story event: ‘ They underestimated the change my project might do if it ever works but I insisted and I can’t be prouder!’
Everything you need for a better future and success has already been written. And guess what? All you have to do is go to the library.
Henri Frederic Amiel
I think this story would help those who already have an idea but cannot step forward because nobody believes in their vision. By small changes, you can make the world a better place.
© All photos were taken from Notre bibliotheque with their permission and do not belong to the author of this article.
IVolunteer International is a Gold Seal nonprofit organization on Guidestar. Operating from Savannah, Georgia, IVolunteer International connects volunteers to volunteer projects around the world. Since 2017, IVolunteer has connected over 3,000 volunteers worldwide. In 2019, World Trade Center Savannah selected IVolunteer International as finalists of the Peace Through Trade Competition. In 2020, IVolunteer International will develop and launch a geo-connecting mobile application which will be available to volunteers around the world. FacebookTwitterLinkedInPinterestEmailShare
