Mobile library project aims to empower students of govt schools across Telangana

Hyderabad: It's a heartwarming gesture and a pioneering initiative from a high school student, Ananya Polsani, with her 'Stories on Wheels', a mobile library project aimed at empowering the students of government schools inTelangana.

This mobile library van has various kinds of books which can be accessed by students when it visits their respective schools. The idea of this community development project germinated when Ananya visited a small village, Kodurupaka, in Karimnagar district, during her vacation.

She wanted to take up this initiative to support the school students who do not have access to books. Ananya's grandfather suggested that she go to the local government school during her visit to the village.

During the interaction with students and teachers of the school, she felt that several initiatives can be taken to enrich their potential. The students were keen to read and learn on par with the urban schools which have several facilities to access books. She was keen to contribute to the school as it would benefit its students to a large extent and help them in accessing several books of their choice.

During her travel to Hyderabadfrom the village, an idea splashed in her mind that there are many such schools which do not have access to resources, unlike the ones in urban areas of the State. To take forward the idea of having a mobile van that covers multiple schools in rural areas, she acquired a used ambulance, books and sports equipment from donors, laptops with internet connectivity from a few technology-based companies. She wanted students to pursue their interests and extracurricular activities, such as sports, literary activities and e-learning under the same roof. She had done crowd funding through a third-party website called 'Milaap', for the interiors and exteriors of the van.

Speaking to The Hans India, Ananya said she is highly satisfied with the response evoked from various sections of society in the city as part of this mobile van initiative. She said the teaching staff and management of government schools were highly helpful when she wanted to take the initiative forward.

Her mobile van intends to serve nearly 1,500 students with over a collection of 1,000 books. She received great support and appreciation from her relatives and friends for the initiative. The five-day book donation drive started in the city on Sunday at Fortune Towers, Madhapur, when the community residents and others donated books. Nearly 500 of them were collected as part of the drive.

As they aim to collect more books by planning a book donation drive in Hyderabad, the mobile van is available in different localities of Hyderabad this week. On Monday it was there in Meenakshi Trident. On Tuesday it will be at Ramky Towers, on Wednesday at Legend Chimes and on Thursday at Rajpushpa Atria.