"The books I read always give new wings. Take me flying into the gardens of the most charming knowledge through time and events, sharing stories of love, saying hello to all figures who I want to met, while playing in the arch of the rainbow." The quote of Abdurahman Faiz’s poem I Am Love Poems begins this article.
"In my village, there are local bars on every corner. Because I like to explore around those places, I have a drinking habit and I became a drunkard. If those places are libraries and bookstores, I would have been a man entirely different." That is another quote from a letter sent to newspapers in Nepal, which is published in the book Room to Read.
The two quotations above illustrate how the book is able to turn imagination and creativity, and how books are capable of forming one's personality and habit. For that reason, Book for Mountain project was eager to bring the books closer to children at the foot of the mountain and remote areas that, indeed, have limited access compared to other regions. Real action began from UGM Field Work Community Learning (KKN) in July 2010 at the foot of Mount Rinjani, East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.
"At that time, the team managed to set up six units of library at the feet of Mount Rinjani. For the success of the program, the Book for Mountain continues despite the completion of the Field Work Community Learning, while expanding opportunities for anyone who wants to join," said Niniek Febriany, Coordinator of I Want Books!, on behalf of Book for Mountain and Indonesian Children, Friday (16/12).
Until now, the Book for Mountain project has done a real action in around 7 locations throughout Indonesia, namely in the village of Bebidas, Mount Rinjani, West Nusa Tenggara (July-August 2010), emergency school of Merapi (October-December 2010), Keningar Shelter, Merapi (January 2011); Ngadirejo Village, Bromo (March 2011), Tompo Bulu, Bone, South Sulawesi (May 2011), Sebesi Island, Krakatau, Lampung (July 2011), and Ranu Pane, Semeru, East Java (October 2011). These may be followed by other concrete actions throughout Indonesia in the following years.
"It is a real action of Indonesia’s Creative Youth community that originated from a group of UGM Field Work Community Learning (KKN) between July-August 2010 at the foot of Mount Rinjani, East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara," Niniek Febriany explained.
Niniek said that Book for Mountain has several programs, including I want books!, library management training, motivation training and teaching. In the program I want books!. Waroeng Buku (Book Shop) is opened as a libary with book donation from sponsors. To endorse this program, Book for Mountain has a sub-program "Donate your used children books: A used books from you is the first step to educate the nation". "Of course, this program invites all parties to donate new and used books, especially non-textbooks for elementary school age," Niniek added.
In order to maintain the sustainability of the library, a simple library management training is held for the school community and the people in the neighboorhood. This motivation training program is flexible, while for the disaster-affected areas, Book for Mountain focuses on trauma healing, for example, at the time of eruption at Merapi and Bromo some time ago. Also, teaching program not only taught compulsory subjects in school, but also skills, such as knitting, caricature drawing, origami, music, paperquilling and others.
Spirit, support and inspiration will certainly continue to spark. Book for Mountain is dreaming one day to be like Greg Mortenson in the book Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools or Munif Chatib in his book The School of Man and The Teacher of Man. Therefore, Book for Mountain will continue its real action to get closer to Indonesian children through books.