Mobile Library Brings Cheer to Children at Afghanistan's Kabul

Arezo Azizi said, "I'm really feeling happy. I'm studying the books I love again."

Image used for representational purposes. 

(Photo: The Quint)

Mobile library services resumed in Afghanistan's Kabul on Sunday, 5 December, for the first time after the Taliban took over the country.

For the past few years, a local organisation called Charmaghz, that was founded by Freshta Karim, an Afghan graduate from Oxford university had been providing the mobile library service in the city, and over the years, hundreds of children in Kabul's schools have reportedly benefitted from the service as several schools here do not have its own library.

However, talking to the publication, Ahmad Fahim Barakati, deputy head of the not for profit initiative pointed out that they lost almost all of their sponsors after the Afghanistan government was taken over by Taliban in mid August.

The education ministry in Taliban had reportedly given permission for the restart of the mobile libraries several weeks ago. However, as the service began only on Sunday as an agreement was made with the transport ministry only a few days ago. The buses used for the service are owned by the transport ministry, said Barakati.

Education of girls have been particularly hit under the Taliban rule in Afghanistan as they have been barred from secondary education at state schools.

Librarian Ramzia Abdi Khail told AFP that they have a wide range of books including history, painting, and English books. Barakati said that Charmaghz currently has enough funds to run the service for "a month or so".

He added that they were raising funds globally and via online platforms. "We hope to have enough sponsors so we can keep running the service beyond a month," he said.

(With inputs from AFP)