Book donations: Fostering kindness and sharing

The community bookshelf provided by Ninh Hoa Town Women's Association allows people to find and read books for free, thus arousing passion for reading among members, residents and students. In addition, the association has also donated books, notebooks, etc. to students in need.

The community bookshelf model implemented by the Women's Union of Ninh Ha Ward in October 2019 is located at the library of Tran Phu Junior High School, initially with about 300 books covering such topics as family, law, culture, life skills, English, etc. The association has continued to add new books with 500 books in total so far.

The community bookshelf is available for any readers.

According to Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, a school librarian, the books in the library are mainly reference books for students. Thanks to the community bookshelf model, students will have more books to read and do reference, helping them broaden their knowledge about culture and society.

Nguyen Gia Han (grade 9/1, Tran Phu Junior High School) said, “I go to the library twice a week and choose books from the bookshelf to read. There are various kinds of books, helping me gain new knowledge and interesting lessons. I also borrow books to read at home.”

In September 2024, the Ward Women's Association expanded the model of community bookshelf for members. The bookshelf located at the Cultural House of Thuan Loi Residential Group opens every Saturday, Sunday or on the occasion of association activities to serve the reading needs of women. There are more than 200 books about reproductive health care, law, life lessons, etc.

The model of the community bookshelf was deployed by the Women's Association of Ha Thanh 1 Residential Group, Ninh Da Ward in October 2020. The bookshelf located at the local Cultural House opens every Saturday evening. Thanks to the support of the Women's Association of the ward, its branch has contacted the Provincial Library to get books. The bookshelf has about 700 books about animal husbandry, farming, cooking, child-rearing, culture, society, history, etc.

The books are changed every quarter to meet the needs of readers. Besides, residents can also borrow books to read at home. The association branch has also mobilized and donated used textbooks of grades 1 to 12 for needy students.

Tran Phu Junior High School students choose books from the Community Bookshelf.

According to Ngo Thi Lien, Head of the Women's Association branch of Ha Thanh 1 Residential Group, the association branch has implemented a program of exchanging used books for new notebooks to encourage book donation. The funds to buy notebooks is from the women collecting scrap from the “protecting environmental protection and sharing” model.

In addition, the community bookshelf is also implemented in the 2 residential groups of Ha Thanh 2 and Van Thien. To promote reading, notebooks are offered to needy students coming to read books. At the beginning of the new school year, the branches in the ward also gave scholarships, books, school supplies, uniforms... to disadvantaged students.

The Women's Union of Ninh Giang Ward launched the "Bookshelf for Children" model in August 2024. To share with families in financial hardship, the association mobilized and donated 10 sets of textbooks of grades 1 - 9 to students at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year. The remaining 9 sets of textbooks and 10 books on life skills are placed on the bookshelf at Thanh Chau Residential Group Community House for students to read. The association is welcoming more book donations to the bookshelf.

According to Huynh Thi Ngoc Diem, Chairperson of Ninh Hoa Town Women's Association, the community bookshelf models have contributed to promoting reading culture, towards building a learning society. The Women's Association at all levels needs to continue to maintain the community bookshelf model to inspire the love for reading, helping people widen their knowledge from the habit of reading.

C.T

Translated by N.T