Balochistan’s first and only container beach library has been installed on the shores of Gwadar. The library is the first of its kind in the region and has been attracting readers in quite modest numbers.
Idly striding on the beach of Gwadar, one can now find a massive 40-feet long and 10-feet wide red container. That is no ordinary container, but a fully-functional library laden with more than 5000 books in English, Urdu and Balochi languages and enough room and furniture for 10 people to sit and study at the same time.
Built on the shores of Gwadar, this container beach library is the first of its kind in the entire region. The land for this unique library was given by the city administration and the financial funding came from two different Non-Governmental Organizations – Rotaract Club, a community-based organization aimed at promoting literacy culture in Gwadar, and Baamsaar Club, a community-driven campaign for education.
The library also hosts board game competitions like Scrabble and Chess for the recreation of the local students. Library also hosts study circles on a weekly basis where scores of students get together and speak of a variety of topics. The Rotaract Club has also announced that they will soon launch another unique initiative – mobile libraries carried around the city on top of camels.
The students of Balochistan share an unparalleled love for books and other forms of literature, and they have been constantly striving to promote the book reading culture to the general public. But the rarity of libraries in Balochistan has hampered their activities to some extent, and the government has done practically done nothing to ease their struggle.
To overcome the hindrance, the students have taken it to themselves to build libraries and collect books for their fellow students to read – their efforts have borne fruit. In Wadh, for instance, a group of five bibliophilic friends opened a library all by themselves. They raised funds and converted a former drug house into a fully functional library. Their efforts got the attention of the world-renowned author Paulo Coelho, who tweeted: “Send books to Balochistan, they are building reading rooms.”
Similarly, a library in Mashkay seemed a dream a few months ago, but that dream was transformed into a reality. The local students toiled day and night and established the first Mashkay public library. Students in Zehri have also set up a library and are collecting books from various cities in Balochistan and beyond to fill its shelve