IBBY-Yamada 2024: Venezuela
IBBY-Yamada 2024: Venezuela
San Mateo lee más y mejor (San Mateo Reads More and Better)
In partnership with the Kunst Zonder Grenzen Foundation (FKZG), Banco del Libro implemented San Mateo lee más y mejor, a reading promotion project designed to strengthen reading habits and skills among children aged 7 to 14 in 33 vulnerable communities in San Mateo, Anzoátegui State. The initiative responded to alarming gaps in reading comprehension and access to quality literature, particularly among children already participating in community-led mini-library programs that exchanged books for clothing and supplies.
The project focused on three key areas: improving the literary quality of books available through 29 planned mini-libraries (four of which were already functioning), training teachers and volunteers in effective reading mediation strategies, and reinforcing a sustainable model of community-led reading culture.
Banco del Libro donated 290 books—half new and half used—along with educational materials like Formemos lectores to support local mediators. In-person training workshops reached 61 participants, doubling initial targets, and provided tools for selecting children’s literature, planning community reading activities, and integrating diverse literary genres into classroom and community settings. Each workshop culminated in live reading encounters with children, fostering practical application and joy around reading.
Remote training sessions also extended the programme’s reach, supported by recorded modules accessible to teachers in Venezuela and abroad. In addition, basic digital skills sessions were held to improve remote coordination and access to reading materials, enhancing the long-term viability of the mini-libraries and associated reading activities.
The intervention revealed both challenges and promise: while many children showed enthusiasm, only 20% of the target group consistently engaged with the mini libraries. However, encouraging signs—such as children managing book inventories and keeping reading diaries—demonstrated growing ownership and literacy engagement. Teachers, many of whom initially viewed reading as strictly academic, embraced literature’s potential to promote creativity, empathy, and conflict resolution after training.
The project laid a foundation for continued collaboration with FKZG and local volunteers, including upcoming contributions such as a new mini library built from low-cost materials by Proyecto Remo, expanding the project's reach and sustainability.
