Libraries and the Power of Collaboration
Pooja Bista, Content Creator CORN
Date Published
Estimated reading time
4–6 minutes
Calls Over Ridges Nepal (CORN) is committed to eradicating illiteracy. But the ability to read and write goes far beyond simply consuming and producing words. In today’s world, literacy encompasses a range of skills—critical thinking, creativity, and the ability to communicate effectively. Recognizing this, CORN’s Literacy Enrichment program was born out of an urgent need to equip students with these broader skills to help them thrive, particularly in rural schools where access to educational resources is limited.
During the initial field visits to Gorkha and Jiri in 2016, the CORN team saw firsthand gaps in school libraries. Some schools had no libraries at all; and others only old, worn-out books that failed to engage or inspire students. It became clear that there was an urgent need, not just for books, but for breathing spaces where students could learn, think creatively, and collaborate.
With support from donors and in partnership with local schools, CORN took action, transforming these neglected spaces into hubs of learning and creativity. In seven public community schools located in Jiri and three located in Gorkha, we also introduced a new role that many schools had never seen before—the school librarian. The librarians were trained not just in managing books, but in how to turn the library into a dynamic learning space where students’ capabilities are measured beyond academic outcomes and hours of written examinations, where a love of reading could be nurtured.
Projects under the Literacy Enrichment Program are now under the management of Mingmar Sherpa and Anup Acharya, CORN’s Program Lead and Project Coordinator in Jiri. Anup’s own experiences as a teacher in the Terai region of Nepal have given him a deep understanding of the challenges rural students face in literacy. He vividly recalls classrooms where benches were overcrowded and students struggled to understand lessons taught in Nepali or English, neither of which was their mother tongue. “In the Terai, it wasn’t just the heat that made teaching hard,” Anup says. “The language barrier was a huge issue. Many students spoke Bhojpuri at home, and when we introduced English, they were completely lost.”
The obstacles in Terai schools didn’t end with language. Many families in rural areas prioritize farming over education, and girls are often pulled out of school to get married early. “I saw students, especially girls, dropping out because their families didn’t see education as a priority,” Anup reflects. “They’d come to school without the necessary supplies—no bags, barely any notebooks, and for many, education felt like a luxury they couldn’t afford.”
Despite these challenges, Anup has been instrumental in bringing change through CORN’s library program. Within four months alone, in 2024 the program launched a series of workshops that benefited 106 students from grades 8 to 10 in Jiri Secondary School, Jiri. These workshops are part of a broader effort to tackle one of the key issues contributing to poor academic performance—language barriers. English is the second most common subject in which students fail, according to Secondary Education Examination (SEE) data. In response, CORN initiated English writing workshops to help students improve their writing skills and bridge the language gap.
The impact was immediate. After participating in a writing workshop held from July 7th to July 13th 2024, the students showed an impressive 8.9% improvement in their writing skills after taking the post-workshop survey. “The most significant growth was seen in low-achieving students,” Anup shares, proud of the progress. “Workshops like these give students the tools to communicate better and express themselves.”
CORN further leverages the expertise of our educational leaders in the community. External partners like Samikshya Kharel, an English fellow with Teach for Nepal, and Ajay Mishra, an alumnus of Teach For Nepal were invited to facilitate these writing workshops. These facilitators brought fresh teaching approaches that transformed how students viewed writing. Samikshya, reflecting on her experience, says, “When I first arrived, the students were hesitant. They didn’t see themselves as writers or even capable communicators. But by the end of the two-day workshop, they were sharing their essays confidently, discussing ideas, and believing in their voices.”
Groups were asked to research and present case studies on complex issues. Photo: Pooja Bista
The various topics included the importance of English, Jiri Tourism and Sustainability. Photo: Pooja Bista
Samikshya herself felt a transformation through her involvement with CORN. “I became more creative in how I approached teaching,” she says. “CORN gave me the freedom to adapt my lessons based on what the students needed at that moment, and they provided me with everything—from travel arrangements to accommodation—so I could focus solely on teaching.”
By regularly inviting facilitators like Samikshya, CORN ensures that students are exposed to new teaching methods and perspectives. The ripple effect of these collaborations is clear: students are not only improving academically, but they are also finding joy in learning, discovering their voices, and building the skills they need for a brighter future.
About the author
Pooja Bista
Pooja is CORN’s Content Creator
based in Kathmandu, Nepal.
