Got a 'Room to Read' Afterschool?

Setting up a meaningful afterschool programme is a challenge. But you can look and learn - there are enough examples around. While afterschool programmes for a great majority of the 'privileged' children are limited to tutions or tv, there are a few (too few!!) innovative, well-designed, meaningful programmes reaching underprivileged children. Looking at these working models will help in two ways - designing programmes for any group of children and scaling up programmes for underprivileged children.

I looked up the Room to Read website just now. It is reassuring to know that my own afterschool programme also has the same contours - reading and computers (with science and math included). Room to Read's India operations started in 2003. The programme reaches rural and urban slum communities in five states (New Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh). By 2007 more than 1500 libraries and 16 computer and language labs were established through this programme.