Angelique Foundation is now
Anandaya Foundation
Building sustainable libraries for underprivileged children
1.2 Lakh
children have already benefitted from our libraries
377+
libraries have already been built so far
2165
teachers have been trained to enhance student outcomes
Elements of our library, the Pustakalaya
A staggering 85.93% of primary government schools in India lack a proper school library, leaving students without a vital resource. Of the remaining 14.07% that do have libraries, approximately 53% house neglected, dusty, and often locked cupboards filled with books that are far from relevant or contextual for the students. These subpar libraries not only fail to nurture a reading culture but also contribute to instilling a disheartening "I can't read" mindset and a fear of books among the students.
Young learners need an environment conducive enough to develop the habit of reading. Anandaya Foundation’s Pustakalaya has been designed to curate the most conducive learning environment for budding readers. Students at MCD schools bear a lot of psychological loads due to their socio-economic conditions. The Pustakalaya gives them the perfect environment with freedom to access relevant reading resources abundantly.
The Anandaya Foundation creates libraries in government schools that are true to their purpose and fulfil their function of empowering budding learners by providing access to child-friendly, relevant, and contextual books compatible with the reading levels of children in a vibrant and motivating environment. The books are placed level-wise in open racks to provide easy access to books for children with minimal adult intervention, allowing children to develop a love for reading. Our structure of Pustakalaya reduces the gap between a book and a child. It makes reading joyful and natural by using the science of reading learned by children in Pustakalaya.
Impact
Quantitative impact
The impact assessment graphs here clearly indicate enhanced reading, comprehension, and expression skills in students by utilising the Pustakalaya’s resources
BOY - Beginning of the year
EOY - End of the year
Main graph showing growth in reading skill and dip in in students who can still not read
Main graph of comprehension
Graph of expression
Qualitative impact
A clear shift in students’ mindset: Students have gone from "I can't read" to "I can read," thanks to the joy of choice and abundance in their reading materials. This led to improved decision-making skills, nurtured interests, and independence in learning.
Increased desire to read books: Teachers have observed a steep rise in the number of books being issued to students. Students have been asking for more time to read in the school, leading to formation of classroom libraries in addition to the library periods in the Pustakalaya.
Behavioural changes: value systems of the students have changed, no theft is being reported, physical fights are minimized, and parents saw improved resources leading to an increase in admissions.
Spaces that give dignity to children
Improved academics
Enhanced expression
Minimised literacy gap to grade
Brought students and community together
Improved reading skills
Increased admissions and attendance
Developed critical thinking
Developed decision-making skills and interest in books
Shift in students' mindset and Behavioral changes
Dedicated intervention program
Anandaya Foundation has a three-pronged intervention program with its focus on the students, the school as a whole and the government as a stakeholder in the project.
Student focused
Anandaya facilitators systematically monitor the pattern of utilisation of the library in a school and device workable solutions to address challenges in the integration of the library into the daily school operations.
Round-the year capacity building of the teachers ensures the optimum usage of the resource to enhance the reading, comprehension, and expression of their students. Anandaya’s facilitators support the teachers in connecting the Pustakalaya’s resources to MCD literacy curriculum and empower them with hands on techniques to continually upgrade the reading levels of their students, thereby making the literacy gap to MCD grade expectations negligible. Periodic interactions with the principals to assimilate the Pustakalaya in the school system
School focused
Anandaya Foundation’s facilitators intervene with schools to conduct capacity-building sessions for teachers to sensitize the teachers to understand their students and change the student’s mindset from ‘I can’t read’ to 'I can read '.
In the capacity-building sessions, the teachers learn about the Pustakalaya Methodology, based on Bloom’s taxonomy, a hierarchical framework to order cognitive skills, empowering teachers to use automation and repetition to increase student reading and comprehension skills. The methodology also includes supporting library activities that help students develop their expression of thought and confidence. Using the Pustakalaya Methodology, the students learn to evaluate and analyse scenarios.
Exclusive to the Pustakalaya are the ‘Anandaya Foundation books’, reading resources that make reading simple, fun, and natural. Anandaya Foundation books are simple, decodable readers based on the science of reading and with a controlled staggered approach, helping students become confident readers. The students use these books to practice what they have learned in class during their library classes.
Government focused
Anandaya Foundation collaborates with the government to roll out guidelines that ensure complete integration of the library and make the principals accountable for non-adherence.
Anandaya Foundation presents a monthly report to the government indicating the degree of integration of the library in each school and covet Government’s action on it by ensuring accountability and awarding appreciation. Also, anandaya Foundation presents its case studies and research in the field of Education and libraries to MCD Education Department. Our studies are well received by the Education
Department and necessary action steps are taken.
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