A journey from loss to literacy: Hafiz’s story and the rise of reading corners in Lebanon
April 18, 2025
By Nivrita Durgvanshi
Associate Director of Room to Read's Literacy Portfolio
Hafiz (name changed), a 12-year-old boy who lost his mother and brother during the Syrian civil war, arrived in Lebanon as a refugee. He had no intention of pursuing education — his only focus was survival. One day, through a youth volunteer, Hafiz heard about a library run by Helwa Ya Baladi, a local, community-based organization supported by Room to Read in the Baalbek area of eastern Lebanon. Hesitant at first, he visited the library. Initially shy and withdrawn, Hafiz barely spoke to anyone. But over time, he began to open up. Now, he’s more expressive, engaging with other children and participating in activities. He has shown a strong desire to learn reading, is enrolled in Grade 3, and is steadily learning to decode words and pronounce letters.
During a conversation, Hafiz shared, “I love this place. I feel so comfortable and happy here. My wish is to read all the stories in the library!” His favourite book is “The Lion and the Rat.”
When Room to Read started our library project in Lebanon, we had two main objectives: to establish child-friendly libraries in 15 Non-Formal Education Centres (NFE) and to distribute 100 titles across different centres. Once the first 15 model libraries were set up and community events were organized, something beautiful happened — five new NFE centres reached out to our team, expressing interest in establishing reading corners of their own.
These centres committed to arranging a space for reading with a child-friendly and welcoming environment. They requested support for books and training. Using low-cost furniture — like bookshelves made from cardboard cartons, stools from tires and cushions from waste cloth —each of the five centres created their own vibrant reading corners. A dedicated time was scheduled each day for children to access the space, guided by a teacher.
This unexpected enthusiasm inspired us to adapt our strategy. We shifted from simply distributing books to actively supporting the creation of reading corners in NFE centres, aligning even more deeply with our project’s goals. A simple, step-by-step guide was developed on how to establish a cost-effective reading corner using minimal resources. It included DIY ideas for making bookshelves, cushions and stools from everyday materials.
Along with the guide, we created two video resources: one that offered a visual tour of a model child-friendly library, and another that demonstrated engaging reading activities to support teachers. These materials were shared alongside the books, and centres were regularly followed up with to support implementation.
The response was remarkable. Around 125 NFEs out of 140 centres, established their own reading corners. We began receiving joyful pictures of children engrossed in books. At the request of the centres, we also conducted two rounds of formal training on library practices.
Today, these reading corners are reaching more than 69,000 children across Lebanon. What began as 15 model libraries has sparked a nationwide movement to foster a love for reading — creating a powerful, cost-effective model that places books, joy and learning within every child’s reach.
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