Let’s talk library at Halmatpora – an innovative initiative by Mubashir Mushtaq

Twitter: @JournalistAadil

Srinagar: Mubashir Mushtaq of Halmatpora runs an innovative initiative namely Let’s Talk Library wherein he has opened a small library for local children. The library is situated within a small market near the Jamia Masjid in Halmatpora.

Mubashir started the library in July 2022 with 1500 books and is presently having 3000 books with donations from reading enthusiasts and well-wishers. Mubashir is often seen educating kids in the area moving around on his scooter. He has travelled from Lolab to Teethwal spreading the message of literacy and benefits of education.

The library houses a number of books of competitive exams including NEET, JEE, JRF, NET, UPSC and study material for class 11th and 12th. Besides, fiction and poetry books are also available. In just two months, dozens of registrations have been made by students and elderly locals. 

It was in 2019 when Mubashir was in 12th grade, he started researching about child labour and child abuse. He went to a number of villages, started door to door campaigns in order to create awareness among people about these issues.

During his campaigns, he realized that the reason of child labour and school dropouts is the unaffordability of education by parents.

He said, “Some can’t afford better education for their kids while some are not even able to provide the basic education to their children. When the kids start earning at an early age, they get more responsibilities on their shoulders which doesn’t let them go back to their studies. The problem summed around these two issues.”

He decided to do something for the underprivileged children of his village by setting up a library.

He said, “Post Covid, I searched for some magazines in the whole Kupwara but I couldn’t find them. I realized that the kids preparing for competitive exams would find it even difficult to get the proper resources. The place is devoid of proper study material.”

When he started to discuss the idea of setting up a library with his elders and peers, he was told to do something for himself first instead of standing for other people. He didn’t pay heed to them and continued what he was up to.

Without giving a second thought, he went to a number of places in Srinagar and other districts to collect books from people. The news got spread which builds his connections with the people in the collection of books. 

“They would give me books and would often laugh at me, thinking I was wasting my time over the mundane activity,” he said adding, he collected the books for one and a half years.

“People would often discourage me but I realized that because of the handful of people, I don’t need to step back. I was doing it for thousands of students and I didn’t care about criticism,” he said.