A school gets it’s first “Book Box” library. Parents can also borrow books.

The Book Box libraries we deliver are usually the first books in the village. They are popular with both children and parents.

Mahaxai District –  Khammouan Province - Lao Peoples Democratic Republic

Ninety-five per cent of schools in Laos have no books or other printed material for students to read.  In those schools all reading instruction takes place at a chalkboard with the teacher constantly writing and erasing words and phrases for the children to read. When either the chalk or the teacher’s arm gives out, the lesson is over.

The Lao female literacy rate is about fifty per cent.  The male literacy rate is somewhat higher, but what passes for literacy here is a far cry from the mastery of reading that we in America expect from our children. Still, given the condition of the schools it’s remarkable that as many students achieve rudimentary fluency as do.

Over the past four years the people of Wausau have generously offered help to Lao schools.  Individuals, schools, churches and civic groups in the greater Wausau area have donated “Book Box Libraries” to approximately forty villages in rural Laos.  In each instance, these 200-book libraries were the first reading books in the history of the school.

Often, I have the pleasure of personally delivering a Book Box Library to a school.  It’s always exciting to watch the reaction of students when the box is opened and students see shelves brimming with colorful books.  Usually, more books than students have ever seen in one place!

However, the Book Boxes that were donated to schools in the Mahaxai District last September traveled well ahead of me. The rainy season was nearly over but the roads throughout the region were still in terrible shape; many were under water.  The only route open to three of the villages that I had selected to receive libraries was down the Xe Bang Fai River via small wooden boat.  The school year was about to begin and I wanted teachers to have books to start the new term.  Via the village grapevine, I relayed a message that libraries were available if someone responsible would come and accept them.  Within two days teachers and helpers rowed up to our camp and collected the boxes.

Recently, with the change of season, I took advantage of dry roads to visit each of those villages to see for myself how the teachers were using the books.  In each school I saw students hovering around the libraries with their noses buried in books.  All teachers expressed gratitude for the libraries. None of the teachers that I spoke with had ever taught reading from a book before the boxes arrived.  In fact, not one of the teachers, while a student, had read from a book in school.

Since every Book Box is labeled with the name of its donor, it was easy for me to connect individual schools with their specific benefactor.  Pilgrim Lutheran Church sent two libraries to schools in the district.  Phanang Village got one; Khamphon Village the other.  Phong Village received their library from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

As we were about to depart I spied a mother sitting on the open ground, surrounded by her children.  She had a pre-schooler leaning on each arm and several school-age daughters gazing over her shoulder.  She was reading aloud from a book that had obviously come from one of the donated libraries.  Yai (my interpreter) and I approached.  “Where did you get the book?” I asked.

Startled to hear my English, she paused and lifted her head.  Then, she responded to Yai’s translation of my question, “The school teacher loaned it to me.”  Immediately, she resumed reading aloud.

“Do you read to your children often?” I asked.

No answer.  She continued reading to the children.

“Are your children learning to read in school?”

No answer.  She continued reading aloud.

“What kind of books do your children enjoy the most?”

No answer.  She read on.

Assuming that the woman was too shy to speak in my presence, I parked myself on a nearby log and left it to Yai to beak the ice; he repeated my questions.  After a moment or two the woman stopped reading, looked up, and cheerfully answered.  Before departing Yai apologized on my behalf, assuming that my looming presence had intimidated her.  She responded, “No problem.  I’m not shy.  It’s just that I was getting to the very best part of the story.”