Books were my solace and constant companion when Covid shut us in our homes. Books took me places that I otherwise couldn’t physically travel to. They were my familiar comfort when everything around me was an unfamiliar change. Soon, I realised that this wasn’t so for so many other kids around me, like the kids from my building. I decided to share the joy and comfort that books brought me with them too. In this difficult time I set up a “community library” in my  society with the thought that books can help the kids find solace in the wonderful association with books.

I have always believed in the fact that reading can take you places. All you have to do is to abandon all the notions you already have of the world and enter the realm of books. That is why I thought it was so important to inculcate the habit of reading especially amongst kids. Inspired by the success of the ‘Casa del Libro’, I decided to take reading to people who couldn’t afford to or did not have access to books and then I found Asha Sadan. Asha Sadan is a shelter house for destitute and abandoned girls. It houses both boys and girls from ages 0-4 and only girls from the ages 13-18. Asha Sadan can be called the perfect place to set up this library because the residents don’t have access to mobile phones, can’t step outside and their television hours are limited. So, they have lots of time but no productive way of spending it. These books could be their perfect escape to the outer world, giving them the wings they need for the future. And for me, reading is a form of empowerment, especially for girls. Soon this plan was set into motion and the Asha Book Club became a reality. The book club was inaugurated by Smt. Yashomati Thakur  the Hon’ble minister for woman and child development , Govt of Maharashtra  and Shri Amin Patel the MLA from the Mumbadevi Constituency of Mumbai. I was so happy to see how excited the kids were on receiving the books. But this was just the beginning, we are planning to hold more storytelling and creative writing sessions at Asha Sadan as the residents are just overflowing with creativity.