Alif Laila Book Bus Society

Empowering children/young girls through books, education and skills for a better tomorrow and enhance the capabilities understanding and powers of innovation in children/young girls with the aim to provide safe and secure learning environment. Our vision To enhance the understanding and creative abilities of our nation's children so that they can reach their maximum potential and stand shoulder to shoulder with children from all corners of the globe. Our Mission To empower children to think critically and creatively, to empathize and build bridges, to befriend books and learn skills. To provide access to quality books to improve reading proficiency of students in schools and communi... read more Empowering children/young girls through books, education and skills for a better tomorrow and enhance the capabilities understanding and powers of innovation in children/young girls with the aim to provide safe and secure learning environment. Our vision To enhance the understanding and creative abilities of our nation's children so that they can reach their maximum potential and stand shoulder to shoulder with children from all corners of the globe. Our Mission To empower children to think critically and creatively, to empathize and build bridges, to befriend books and learn skills. To provide access to quality books to improve reading proficiency of students in schools and communities to build a strong foundation of education for subsequent phases of learning To promote widespread reading culture among both the teachers and the students. To design innovative solutions partnerships to enhance the quality of education in Government schools to prepare our young girls to meet the challenges of today's world and grasp its opportunities. To stimulate and develop cognitive thinking in young minds and encourage students to explore and experiment with basic materials existing in their environment and understand the underlying scientific principles Brief overview Alif Laila Book Bus Society (ALBBS) traces its origin from the time when in 1978 an American couple - Dr. Nita Backer and Dr. Richard Baker - working at the American School in Lahore, came up with the idea to harness the reading potential in children and create a sense of affection for books. To make the whole concept attractive and child friendly, the society requested the Pakistan Road Transport Board to donate a Double Decker bus in which a library could be set up. Books were donated and soon afterwards the first Book Bus Library became functional. The idea proved to be a roaring success. Consequently to ensure provision of maximum benefit to the most vulnerable focus was placed on children enrolled in Government schools, whereas to widen the ambit of work the number of libraries was increased over time. Of these, the first set up in the double decker bus is a Stationed Bus Library, the second a Reference Library set up in a building, and the 2 Mobile Libraries and 3 rickshaw libraries for facilitating those children who cannot visit either of the above. From the time of its registration under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in January 1979 till date, Alif Laila has focused on bringing books and children closer through setting up libraries small and big, in communities and in schools as well as its mobile library program. However, at the same time the organization has added interventions its portfolio that are congruent to its overall mission and vision. We focus on 6 main areas: 1) Access to quality children books; 2) Hands on learning 3) Teacher development; 4) Youth and women empowerment; 5) Public-private partnership; 6) Advocacy and 7) Development of ECE materials and children's books Scope of Work 1. Access To Quality Children Books Alif Laila is committed to targeting early literacy as the foundation of all other learning as an urgent priority. It has developed Pakistan's only comprehensive program to help our youngest citizens access quality children books. Alif Laila also believes in opening minds of our young ones through reading, a trait essential for any society to progress and have peace. In Lahore the unique library complex hosts Pakistan's pioneer children library and first mobile library. The mobile library program consists of 2 custom made small vehicles and a rickshaw. These mobile libraries serve low income communities as well as government schools. Rickshaw library is used for narrow streets. With the help of sponsors and donors we establish libraries of all sizes and shapes all over Pakistan, in schools and in communities. We focus on Pakistan's remote areas as well as communities in Gilgit-Baltistan. 2. Writing, printing and publishing children's books and Issue based books/posters 1. Bablo Bhai and Bhalo Mian 2. Bablo Bhai Ka Basta/ Babloo Bhais Bag (bilingual) 3. Kahani aik Jungle ki 4. Meri Dadi Amman aur Main/ My friend my dadi amaan (bilingual) 5. Dadi Amman aur Bachoon K Hoqooq 6. Dunya ki Kahani Chunti Ki Zubani 7. Meray Dadda Abba Aur Main 8. Childrens Voices 9. Babloo Bhai ki Choti Behan 10. Darkht Hamary Dost/ Trees are our friends (bilingual) 11. Aman/ Peace (bilingual) 12. Kazanay ki Talaash / Treasure Hunt (Bilingual) 13. Babloo Bhai aur Bahloo mian bagh mein 14. Bari si kitaab aur buhat se khuwaab / The book of little stories and big dreams (Bilingual) 15. Dada aur Dadi Amaan ke saath 16. Chachi giru and sita raam 17. Muskurahatein 18. Irgit Girgat 19. Khaniya rangon mein 20. Phool hotay hein surkh sada 21. Urdu Qaida 22. The girl who took things 23. Ahmed's Bicycle Eleven Books from these are National Book Foundation award winners. Mere Dada Abba aur Main' won the first prize in national book foundation's write and win contest. Poems on the environment and a rag picking girl's plea on posters Designed and printed posters on child rights the environment schools worthy of children and Alif Bay Pay Qaida 3. Hands-On Learning Program Under this program we offer free hands on learning classes in computers, art, craft and electronics to girls in government schools as well children from low income communities. It has 2 components; i) The Mobile Resource Centre. The mobile resource center carries a team of 4 instructors and the education kits . The team offers 2 hour long training to girls in classes of 6 and 7and ii) The Hobby Club Resource Centers located at the Alif Laila building serve children from low income communities. 4. Teacher Development Teacher development program targets capacity building in Early Childhood Education (ECE) as well as improving the capacity and development of skills of teachers in primary and middle school. We encourage teachers to enrich their teaching methods by involving experimentation and embedding arts, culture and creative approaches. We offer free capacity building workshops in government schools and low-cost private schools. We also conduct ECE trainings at Directorate of Staff Development, the prime teacher training institute of Government of the Punjab.. 5. Youth And Women Empowerment Our youth and women empowerment program focuses on i. Workshops and trainings enhancing employability of youth especially women through resume writing and interview skills workshops ii. Entrepreneurship workshops iii. Coaching craft skills to earn from home iv. Kitchen Gardening workshops to address challenges of urban food insecurity 6. Public-Private Partnership Under public-private partnership we work with the provincial governments in the following areas I- Setting up library corners in Government Primary Schools and training teachers on the use of library in their teaching to enhance reading proficiency and enrich learning II- Early Childhood Education-ECE a. ECE training workshops for government school teachers b. Setting up ECE Model Centers c. Setting up ECE centers in government school III- School improvement program IV- Revamping children corners in public libraries and redefining the role of public libraries as crucial partners for youth empowerment program 7. Advocacy Through policy dialogues with policy makers and innovative campaigns Alif Laila engages in advocacy for the following, Environment and recycling Grade Level Reading Proficiency Matters-Providing access to books in primary schools for reading proficiency Kitchen Gardening for urban food security and nutrition 8. Development Of ECE Materials And Children Books Alif Laila is a brand name in the development of ECE materials and also develops award winning children's books. Alif Laila is a key consultant in setting up ECE centers in the government schools in Punjab