Bookworm through the Alban Couto Library Program‘s support in Aldona supports 612 school students in Aldona between Stds 1 – 5 in 4 schools.
Students are immersed in the practice of a library program on a weekly basis, continue to await the sessions with great anticipation and are demonstrating shifts in their language comprehension and expressive abilities. We are excited and also anxious about how we continue to drive this work on our own some – lonesome.
So we imagined a village meeting. Aldona is quite singular in how we have repeatedly received support from community stalwarts who do not necessarily have their children in the target schools, but have their hearts in the well being and development of the village. We turned to them to enable the meeting and we were received with open arms.
Sunday, saw a big Bookworm gathering show up at our host Savio Figueiredo’s home in the market of Aldona. There were all three Bookworm Trustees in attendance, our supporter Dr. Mrs Maria Aurora Couto with Milton , our host Savio Figueiredo and his wife Janice and no one else !
The meeting was to start at 4.30 pm and our Aldona RPs Flavia Lobo and Margaret Viegas had scurried all day previously organising snacks and tea and what not. The hands of the proverbial clock ticked on, and no one came.
Finally, two PTA members, our friend Rahul Srivastava and another friend Raquel Amaral made up the strong audience of 6 and we decided to open our meeting. It was warm and intense. We talked and we shared and we listened to each other but our stake holders from the schools were sorely missed and we have much to reflect upon as we make decisions about moving on and ahead.
What we do know is that the program matters to the students, we need to figure out a way to get the parents and the teachers and community to see this impact so that the work takes on a life of it’s own and grows organically. We remain hopeful but in the meanwhile we had plenty of snacks that day to fill our tummies and plenty of reflection points to fill our heads, our hearts however were empty.
Marie D'Souza
When and where was the meeting announced? On what date and time was it fixed? Was the purpose of the Meeting also announced? Who were the invitees?
Sujata Noronha
Dear Marie D’Souza,
Thank you for showing an interest in the community meeting. If you are a parent of a school going child in Aldona, you should have heard through the school network. The purpose was to communicate the learnings and discuss the way forward for the Alban Couto Library Program with all stakeholders of the program ( St. Thomas Boys School, Auxilium Carona, St. Thomas Girls school). If you are interested in knowing more about the work we do in Aldona, please attend our fund raising Jumble Sale on Sunday 8th February at the Communidade Hall, Aldona between 9. 30 am – 4. 00 pm.
Thank you for your interest,
Sujata