Continuing the literary spirit of the Sharjah as the World Book Capital 2019, and in keeping with its mission to empower child refugees through books, Kalimat Foundation for Children’s Empowerment (KF), a Sharjah-based non-profit, has recently donated 20 libraries comprising 2,000 books for Syrian refugee children living in Al Zaatari camp in Jordan.

The donation made will support  community centres at the camp run by Blumont, a community-based organisation dedicated to designing and delivering human development programmes. This contribution is part of KF’s ‘Pledge a Library’ initiative launched in 2017 to support Arab refugee and displaced children by improving their access to quality Arabic language books.

During a visit to the camp, KF organised workshops, reading sessions, recreational and educational activities for children of all age groups, in cooperation with Kalimat Group (KG) and Blumont.

Amna Al Mazmi, Manager of KF, said: “Many children are unable to go to school or have limited access to books because of war and conflict. Our role is to be there for them and support them with books which play a significant role in changing their lives for the better, enabling them to become influential members and to give back to their countries through what they have learnt. Books are the only means for children to acquire knowledge, the fundamental pillars for building a better future.”

KF launched the ‘Pledge a Library’ initiative during its participation in the Sharjah International Book Fair 2017 to provide mini libraries to children in disadvantaged areas and regions affected by disasters and conflicts across the world, to keep them connected with their culture, language, customs and traditions.

Since its inception in 2016, Kalimat Foundation has been engaged in an extensive programme of launching and implementing initiatives that facilitate the provision of public libraries and refugee camps with books. It seeks to give children in disadvantaged areas access to sources of knowledge, in keeping with its dedication to ensuring every child’s right to read. KF believes in the positive impact of books on creating a future knowledge-based Arab generation that has a broad understanding of its own as well as other global cultures.