Jabartoday.com-Ciamis. In the heart of Indonesia, a movement is quietly yet powerfully changing lives. It’s called “Komunitas Gada Membaca,” and since its inception on February 18, 2015, it has been a beacon of hope and learning for many. Founded by Agus Munawar and his family, this initiative symbolizes the transformative power of community involvement in literacy.
A Community’s Journey to Empowerment
Gada Membaca, which began with diverse community engagement activities, is not just a literacy movement; it’s a testament to the enduring spirit of collective growth and development. With activities based on community needs, Gada Membaca has become a pivotal center for finding solutions to the challenges faced by the locals.
Bringing Literacy to the People
Accessibility to information is a fundamental human right, and Gada Membaca ensures this right is upheld. The community has become a place for individuals to share knowledge, learn together, and engage in meaningful discussions. The primary goal? To enhance the well-being of the community.
Through its innovative ‘rolling book’ program, Gada Membaca also facilitates the establishment of new reading communities, libraries, and reading gardens. These initiatives, driven by local residents, village apparatus, and various stakeholders, form a unified literacy movement.
The Foundation of Gada Membaca
The physical establishment of Gada Membaca on Agus Munawar’s land, marked by a foundation-laying ceremony by the Bupati of Ciamis Dr. H. Herdiat Sunarya on February 18, 2021, is a significant milestone. The name ‘Gada Membaca,’ a blend of two local place names, Cigajah and Dawuan, reflects its deep-rooted connection to the community. This development is a tangible representation of public participation in enhancing community welfare through literacy.
Expanding Through Partnerships
Gada Membaca’s journey involves collaborative partnerships with universities, government bodies, private sectors, state-owned enterprises, and media outlets. These partnerships are crucial in ensuring the sustainability and real-life impact of the literacy movement on community life quality.
Membership and Technological Advancement
With a registered membership of 1,693 people from diverse educational backgrounds, Gada Membaca is an inclusive community. The adoption of a Management Information System (SIM), developed by the Perpustakaan Nasional RI, marks a leap towards modernizing its operations. This system, featuring QR code-based attendance and comprehensive documentation of activities, has revolutionized the way Gada Membaca functions.
The Road Ahead
Gada Membaca is more than a literacy initiative; it’s a lifeline to those it serves, a platform for shared growth, and a model for community-driven change. With each passing day, it writes a new chapter in the story of community empowerment, literacy, and hope.
In Gada Membaca, every book opened, every word read, is a step towards a brighter, more informed future. This is the story of a community’s unwavering commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and the collective dream of a better tomorrow.
Vision:
To become a community catalyst for improving the quality of life through knowledge based on iteration and technology.
Mission:
- To establish a literacy community as a space for activities and community learning.
- To support access to activities by developing facilities and infrastructure in line with contemporary advancements.
- To encourage the emergence of new reading communities grounded in a commitment to volunteerism.
- To facilitate various community-needed activities.
- To gather public participation.
- To create opportunities for synergy and collaboration with multiple parties to sustain the literacy movement.
Activities
- Reading Tours
- Health Care Support for the underprivileged and those with disabilities
- Volunteer Reading Stalls, Indonesian scam awareness campaigns, and emergency sanitary pad distribution for women
- Young Librarians (Puscil)
- Services for the Disabled
- Tilapia Fish Cultivation
- Community Festivals
- Book Clubs, Book Analysis, Writing Workshops
- Sundanese Karinding Art and Theater
- Traffic Regulation Education, Introduction to Robotics Technology, Educational Films, Computer Learning
- Environmental Hygiene Counseling, Tree Planting
- Trash Bank
- Competitions (reading, writing, poetry, bedug drumming, etc.)
- Book Rolling and Book Donation Drives for New Communities
- Introduction to Local History
- Discussions via Zoom Meetings, Computer Learning
- Encouraging the Establishment of New Reading Communities
- Activities for PKK Cadres: knitting, creating various products, etc.
- University Collaboration Points for Community Service and Student Field Projects (KKN)
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