Child Foundation

Child Foundation – Rahahan Center & Gharchak/Varamin Center

Location: Rahahan Square, Tehran / Gharchak, Varamin
Age-group: Primary School
Number of Children: 134 (84 in Tehran and 50 in Varamin)
Start Date: August 2015
End Date: August 2016

Following an agreement with Child Foundation, the Institute for Research on the History of Children’s Literature set up a library of quality books in Rahahan, a deprived neighborhood in Tehran. Due to the implementation of the project in two branches, half of these books were transferred to Qarchak, Varamin. Moreover, since December 2015, the library started lending books to children.

Workshops on Quality Books, Holding Reading Aloud Sessions and Library Preparation were held for tutors and volunteers in July 2015. Thereupon, Reading Aloud sessions are held for 134 children, first to sixth grades, in an elementary school since August 2015.

The purpose of “Read with Me” in Child Foundation is to bring appropriate quality books to damaged children. As well as establishing a library with quality books to create a reading habit for children and young adults.

One of the most important goals of “Read with Me” at Child Foundation has been to communicate with families. So that families realize the pleasures of reading for children under the foundation coverage. By sharing books with children and young adults, reading aloud, dialogic reading and artistic activities, “Read with Me” attempts to show the children and their families that empowerment is also obtained by ways other than formal education. “Read with Me” provides a space for these children to strengthen their social intelligence, discover new worlds and enjoy reading.

Child Foundation Library was originally equipped with 329 quality books. Half of these books were transported to Qarchak, Varamin. Reading Aloud sessions continued in Rahahan and Qarchak-Varamin branches until summer 2016 according to Child Foundation’s plans. So experts and tutors held reading aloud sessions once a month in Rahahan and once a week in Qarchak.

Other activities of “Read with Me” experts at Child Foundation include holding meetings with mothers. In these meetings, experts try to encourage mothers to read and show them the importance of reading to children.