Phnom Penh: World Vision Cambodia has announced a new collaboration with 532 schools and libraries across the country to improve the reading habits of the kingdom’s children. The organisation’s director, Va Surin, says the idea is to help more than 100-thousand children get access to books in remote areas with the help of a mobile library.

Mobile Library, promoted by World Vision Cambodia, brings librarians and community volunteers to schools in 30 districts and nine provinces. It was launched in March this year, after public schools were closed in response to the 20 February Community Transmission Event. Every week, the Mobile Library drives into rural villages with new books to be borrowed, checking up on children’s reading habits while it’s there.

World Vision director, Va Surin, says it’s becoming clear that children are more interested in books and less interested in mobile phones, but it’s not only children the project is aiming to help. The Mobile Library program believes it can also bring parents closer to their children’s learning routine. Just last week, Prime Minister Hun Sen delivered a speech on National Literacy Day, pointing out the benefits of books for the future of the country. The theme of this year’s Literacy Day was: “literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning”.