In Masintranca, Chota

From 16th to 19th March, we had the great pleasure of welcoming our dear friends from England: Helen, Ben and Bella.

Together with them, and in the presence of our general coordinator, Javier Huamán Lara, we visited three areas where our rural libraries operate. In each place, we enjoyed pleasant encounters with readers, librarians and coordinators from various villages. These visits enabled us to strengthen enthusiasm for reading, both individually and collectively, by promoting the lending of books so that each community can continue to enjoy and make the most of our publications.

At our coordinator Sergio’s home, we also experienced a very special moment. We shared a reading session with local residents, which invited us to reflect on our social reality and the times we are living through. It was a space for dialogue and connection for which we all felt deeply grateful.

The following day we visited the “Cristo Rey” school in Masintranca, where a BRIE (Rural Library in an Educational Institution) has been operating for many years. There, we met with the entire teaching staff to discuss the importance of continuing to promote reading amongst the pupils. We were delighted to see the teachers’ commitment and enthusiasm for continuing to build on this work.

Over the course of these days, we shared experiences, lessons learnt and moments of friendship.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to Helen, Ben and Bella for accompanying us so warmly. Their presence, friendliness and enthusiasm have been a great source of encouragement for us to continue promoting reading in our communities.

Sergio Díaz Estela

Internal Coordinator

Cajamarca Rural Libraries Network