Library empowers Girls & Women in coastal Ecuador

Arianna (13) and her friends Kimberly (14), Karen (12), and Milena (11) live in what is called around here  “the invasion”.  It’s known by this name because the houses along the river banks do not have building permits, nor their occupants have property deeds. This “invasion” neighborhood, like many others in the Jama canton, is unlawful, thus not entitled to public assistance.

This does not hinder determined girls like Arianna and her friends, who want to get an education in hopes for a better future.  They are avid readers and have come to our library since the beginning.  To get here they must avoid difficult spots, cross a  highway and keep track of time so they can get back home safely.  Most of the girls and boys in “La Invasion” are not allowed to take the risk.  

Seeing that so many of their neighbors could not reach our library, more than a year ago, Arianna asked us to help her open their own library in their neighborhood.  They met the minimum criteria - clean space, 1 shelf, 1 table, and four committed young persons that would be trained as librarians.  Thus, together we arranged a quaint little patio in Arianna's house, set the bookshelf, table, and chairs under a leafy tree on the banks of the river.   With the help of volunteers from Quito, we were able to equip their Library with books, several boxes of educational materials, more tables, and chairs.  Since then we have visited the small library once a week. 

With the looming of the rain, Arianna's mother remembered how difficult it was during last year's rainy season.  One early morning, under the pouring rain, residents in “la invasion” woke to the thundering rumble of the river that flooded its banks with torn trees, logs, and gushing water.  The flooding river took several houses, crops, even animals in its path. The Girl’s Library was not spared.  Arianna's mother recalls the upsetting scene of young Arianna amidst a river of books, trying to rescue the remains of her library.

A year later, the girls from “la invasion” know better than to risk their lives for things that can be replenished.  FAMM, in Don Juan, and the Quito volunteers made efforts to restore what was lost to the river, and now, observing all biosecurity precautions, we, once again, visit the Girls library every Tuesday.  We go with volunteers, materials, activities: we park our Library Van in an open space and set the Library with the books and supplies this tiny library has to offer.  We must say this is not the most important resource it has; it's the enthusiasm for English, math, science that Arianna and her friends share with their young neighbors that make it so special.  

This library, like many others,  will continue to exist because of the enthusiasm of its librarians, which is the cornerstone that no catastrophe has managed to take away.