Project ‘mobile library’
The Sopoq Angen Mobile Library in Genggelang Village was created to respond to a simple but urgent need: many children in remote hamlets still have limited access to books, reading spaces and regular literacy activities. Although Genggelang has strong potential in education and community development, the lack of reading materials and village-level literacy facilities continues to affect children’s learning opportunities. In North Lombok, illiteracy among people aged 15 and above remains higher than the provincial average, while only a small percentage of villages in Indonesia have access to a village library. This shows the importance of bringing literacy services closer to the community, rather than expecting children to reach facilities that may not exist nearby.
Led by ECCO Foundation in collaboration with BASAntb, English Club Lombok and the Genggelang Village, the Sopoq Angen Mobile Library aims to create an inclusive, friendly and sustainable learning space for children and teenagers. The program is designed to move between different hamlets, offering not only access to books but also educational and recreational activities such as shared reading sessions, English classes, storytelling, and educational games. Through this participatory approach, the mobile library hopes to nurture reading habits from an early age, strengthen basic literacy, and make learning feel enjoyable and accessible.
A key need of the program is the availability of suitable books. For this reason, the initiative seeks support from Gramedia through the use or purchase of withdrawn books or minor misprints that are still fully readable and educationally valuable. Instead of being wasted, these books can be given a second life through non-commercial literacy activities. The initial plan includes providing portable bookshelves and a starting collection of around 100 books, including children’s books, English-language books, Sasak-language books, and local literacy materials. A small administrative and storage space near the village office would also support the organization and continuity of the program.
The books needed for the mobile library should be appropriate for children and teenagers, visually engaging, age-appropriate, and relevant to the Indonesian context. Priority is given to picture books, children’s stories, fables, folktales, basic science books, general knowledge books, positive young adult novels, motivational books, and materials that support self-development. The selection also emphasizes books that reflect local stories, Indonesian culture, everyday life, and inspiring figures close to the reality of Indonesian children. In this way, the program does not only encourage children to read, but also helps them see their own lives, language, and culture reflected in the materials they encounter.
The cooperation model brings together different partners with complementary roles. Youth ECCO Indonesia serves as the program implementer, fundraiser, general coordinator, and reporting body. English Club Lombok provides teachers for educational and literacy activities, while BASAntb supports the program with books, including materials in the Sasak language. The village government contributes by providing storage space and coordinating with the hamlets. All activities will be documented through photos, videos, and reports, which will be shared through official social media channels as a form of transparency and public education.
Support from Gramedia would create a meaningful and measurable social impact by improving children’s access to reading materials, encouraging reading interest, and strengthening literacy culture in Genggelang Village. At the same time, the collaboration would align with broader goals such as quality education, responsible consumption, and sustainable community development. By helping circulate books that are still useful but no longer suitable for regular sale, Gramedia would contribute not only to literacy, but also to a more responsible and community-oriented use of educational resources.
