The children of Happiness and Hope for the Future Project received books as presents from Read with Me

In October 2015 and following the cooperation of the Institute for Research on the History of Children’s Literature in the project of “Happiness and Hope for the Future” in Sistan va Balouchestan, 150 books and 150 notebooks have been sent to children and adolescents suffering from Thalassemia and Hemophilia in AliAsghar Hospital, in Zahedan by the institute to encourage them for more reading.

Since December 2014, Read with Me project was started in AliAsghar Hospital, in Zahedan for children suffering from Thalassemia and Hemophilia by cooperation of the Institute for Research on the History of Children’s Literature and Shahpari Association of supporters of women in Sistan va Balouchestan. The project of “Happiness and Hope for the Future” is implemented in four phases: Improving the ambiance of patient’s room, Storytelling, Promoting Books and Book Reading (Reading Aloud) and holding Educational courses and at the moment the third phase of the project – Read with Me program is implemented in this hospital. Now a library for children and adolecents is held in this hospital which has been equipped by Shahpari Association and the Institute for Research on the History of Children’s Literature.

In “Happiness and Hope for the Future” project the tutors read aloud books one hour before the injection for children in two distinct groups, 2 to 12 and 13 to 17 years old. As a result a happier condition has been created not only for children but also for all of the hospital personnel. Also children can borrow books from this library in the time period between their injections.

Because of the interest of child patients and their families in the activities of  Happiness and Hope for the Future project the number of library members has increased widely and these children have borrowed books constantly from this library during the past year. At the beginning of the project a space in the corridors was dedicated to Shahpari Association but now a room is allocated for the library where can be a proper place for reading activities.

So Happiness and Hope for the Future project, by its efforts for preventing the Thalassemia in the province, has gained a respectful and trustful situation among patients and their families. Another considerable achievement of this project is the improvement of the relationships between fathers and children by reading of RWM books.

The Shahpari Association was founded in 2013 in order to empower and improve the cultural and educational level of girls and women in Sistan va Balouchestan.