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CAIRN Libraries - in-country partners:
Pahar Trust Nepal (PTN)
and The Gurkha Welfare Trust
LIBRARIES
The CAIRN Library Programme is a five year programme. During the first three years CAIRN provides library management training, resources and support. In the fourth and fifth year CAIRN conducts monitoring and provides continued support and training.
CAIRN conducts detailed feasibility surveys to identify the neediest schools and communities. Communities must demonstrate an appropriate level of commitment to the project.
Communities commit to their libraries by either donating unused classrooms, providing the labour to construct the libraries, funding the librarian salaries, painting classrooms or transporting furniture.
Sustainability is built into the programme by establishing Library Management Committees. Over the five years, we work with the community to develop ownership for their library through management of a library fund and by encouraging them to take accountability for replacing and adding books to their inventory.
Our Library Development Officer works closely with communities to ensure the library meets their specific needs. Key factors taken into consideration are the size of the rooms, number and type of books required. We operate in clusters maximising efficiency and promoting the sharing of best practices between our library teams.
We ensure all libraries are colourful and inviting and are fitted with essentials such as carpets and bright low tables.
We equip our libraries with an extensive supply of age and grade appropriate Nepali and English language books.
We make available learning resources including atlases, dictionaries, reference books, fiction and non-fiction early readers.
Corner bookshelves are placed in each classroom and a regular supply of books added to complement those in the main CAIRN Library. In a country where so many children have no books at home or a place to study, corner bookshelves create a space and increase the opportunity to develop a love of reading.
Early Grade Reading Assessments have been introduced to further measure and evaluate improvements in literacy from Nursery to Grade 3.
TEACHER TRAINING
Working with selected partners we seek to raise standards of teaching and learning by training teachers in some basic lessons of early childhood development so that they can deliver their roles effectively.
We train teachers to deliver interactive, well planned lessons in line with the Nepali curriculum that respond to the needs of individual pupils.
We develop knowledge, skill and confidence in pre-primary and primary level teachers through week-long residential courses, and with the support of a full time trainer living in the village.
We take health and hygiene into consideration through teacher workshops, parenting education and the provision of basic medicines and first aid kits.
CAIRN Teacher Training - in-country partners:
SATHI Nepal
Seto Gurans
