SHARJAH // A non-profit organisation has been launched in Sharjah to provide books to children, particularly in underprivileged areas and regions affected by conflict and crises.
Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi announced on World Book Day, marked on Friday, the launch of Kalimat Foundation for Children’s Empowerment to ensure every child’s right to read.
The organisation will promote the improvement of access to literature and encourage children to pick up books.
“We believe in the role of books in raising hope in children who live under difficult conditions,” said Sheikha Bodour, founder and chief executive of Kalimat Group, a media company.
“Our foundation will provide them with all forms of support as part of an initiative to empower children with all the necessary means that enable them to bring about required positive changes in their personal environments and in the world.”
Many children are living under harsh conditions who are deprived from pursuing their education, as they have no access to sources of knowledge, she said.
Kalimat Foundation will facilitate the access of books and public libraries in refugee camps and areas with a high population density. It will work towards enabling children, teachers and parents to take advantage of the books, as well as the reading-related programmes it runs.
The importance of books has been highlighted by the UAE’s decision to declare 2016 as the Year of Reading.
newsdesk@thenational.ae