Bhubaneswar: ‘Bada Didis’ has gotten a lot of respect and admiration since they set up the first roadside open library near The Arts College in Malkangiri.
A year from a charming business of a group of tribal women to the locals, ‘Bada Didis’ extended the library facility to remote Bonda Hills, about 60 km from Malkangiri.
At Diwali, women carrying light knowledge to the village of Mitudada in Blok Khairput.
The library is full of 80 books in Odia, Hindi and English and intended for competitive examinations and class studies.
The library was modeled on similar initiatives starting at Arunachal Pradesh Nirjuli, and who in turn was inspired by the Box-Box library at Mizoram Capital Aizawl.
The Bonda Hills library was inaugurated by a 50-year-old Chhanaki Kirsani, a Bonda woman, who supported higher education for girls and often convinced them to learn rather than migrating to work as a daily worker.
At present, the library remains open from 8am to 8pm and offers the opportunity to read and borrow books.
“We established a library in Bonda Hills when children in this area cannot attend online classes because of the availability of the internet.
Books will greatly help young people in a higher study,” Jayanti Buruda said, a volunteer of ‘Bada Didi’ , 60-strange tribal women’s organization.
A few years ago, the volunteers had established a library at Hostel Malyabant who accommodated orphans, but when his response was not encouraging, they moved it near The Arts College.
Around RS 10,000 is spent building the Bonda Hills library, transportation and lighting settings.
The money was provided by the Block Development Officer (Kalimela) of Uma Shankar Dalei, the volunteer itself and their two friends.
“This is a good initiative by the girls to open a library in the Remote Bonda Hills area.
I contribute to supporting their business,” Dalei said, who gave Rs 3,000.
Two volunteers – Sukanti Kirsani, a trade student plus III, and the remaining sumit, graduate, (both of the Bonda tribe) – will maintain the library.
They have also put two seats to facilitate reading.
The library will also benefit around 80 boys and girls who live in Hostel Sevasham in Mitudada.
“Students from six villages will benefit because they often have to come to the place to take a bus to reach the block headquarters,” said Buruda.
The ‘Bada Didi’ member was taken from Paraja, Koya, Bhumia, Kui Kanda and Bonda (a very vulnerable tribe group) of tribes.
In Diwali, they were also talented the refrigerator to Sukanti Kirsani, who sold vegetables in Mitudada but did not have a place to save it.