A couple of retired teachers from Guerrero have spent the last six months traveling through their state, but rather than hit the popular tourist destinations they are stopping at all the poorest communities.

Their goal: to deliver books.

María del Carmen García Estrada and José Hernández Salazar began their project six months ago by purchasing a Volkswagen Combi and converting it into a mobile library.

The next phase was collecting books. They bought 100 volumes, christened their bus Bibliocombi and hit the road, visiting preschools in the most marginalized communities in the state to promote reading habits among students.

The Bibliocombi collection grew to 165 titles after Ligia Tavera Fenollosa, a social studies researcher in Mexico City, learned about the couple’s project on Facebook and decided to donate 65 books.

García and Hernández say they have now had a positive impact on the lives of some 1,000 children. Their traveling library not only delivers books to those who need them the most, but gives storytelling sessions and offers activities that encourage readership, lending books and learning chess.

“We realized that the main problem for children, youths and young professionals is that they don’t have a reading habit,” Hernández said. “It is the main problem in the state and the country . . . that is what is behind this project.”

The couple’s goal is to visit all the municipalities in Guerrero and the rest of the country that are considered below the poverty line.

The Bibliocombi is funded solely by García and Hernández with no other support.

Source: Milenio (sp)