Provide Quality Education to 15000 Amazon Children

Recently, Vaga Lume’s office building in São Paulo was packed with large cardboard boxes, all heading to the Amazon. Each box was filled with books, technology, and other library equipment destined for our community libraries. 

Vaga Lume’s work does not end after the construction of a library is finished. We continue to stay active in the community to ensure that the community receives ongoing support and resources to keep their library thriving. Our mission in doing this is to maximize both the number of people that our libraries benefit and the depth of that impact. One way that we do this is by providing communities new books each year to add to their library catalogs, enriching their collections. 

While this may sound straightforward, this is no easy task.

How are Books Selected?

Each year, Vaga Lume is faced with the challenging task of selecting a collection of around 150 books to send to each of our 97 community libraries. This work is carried out by the entire Education team at Vaga Lume, which is collectively responsible for reading and analyzing over 2,000 books to curate the most meaningful and relevant collection possible for our network of libraries.

As the team reads, they carefully consider a wide range of factors for each title — ensuring that every book, and the collection as a whole, reflects and resonates with the diverse realities of the communities we serve.

What Types of Books Is Vaga Lume Looking For?

Each of Vaga Lume’s libraries lies in a unique community — no two communities are the same, and thus no two communities have the same needs. This means that each collection distributed by Vaga Lume must reflect a wide range of reading levels, accessibility formats, and interests.

Moreover, our goal is not just to promote literacy, but also to inspire: our libraries are designed to encourage children to dream bigger, allowing them to see bright futures for themselves through literature. This is why we also strive to curate a collection of diverse and inclusive books and stories, whether that be in race, sexual orientation, gender, or topic. We hope that no matter who you are or what your background is, there is a book that speaks to you in each year’s collection.

How Can I Support This Work?

With a network of 97 (and counting!) community libraries, and around 150 books going to each one, Vaga Lume distributes close to 14,550 books each year. This is no easy feat, and none of it would be possible without our generous partners and donors such as yourself. 

A $10 donation can provide one book to a community library, directly benefitting 200 children.

If you would like to support this work, your contribution makes a real difference — one book at a time.