Libraries are quiet, comforting places where we can lose ourselves among pages of history, science, language, stories, biographies, and so much more. Rows and rows of books wait patiently on their shelves, each one carrying a world of knowledge waiting to be explored.
Many come and go, but the library remains a home to countless memories, awaiting more to be etched in it. It is always welcoming, opening its doors to thirsty, curious minds who find companions in the books it holds.
Beyond the world of books, libraries are also places where stories are created in real time. Thinking of a library makes many of us think back of our very own school days when we were hushed down by the librarian if a word is accidentally uttered in the otherwise silent room, which was often followed by the quiet giggles of classmates watching this. And, of course, there are those moments of shared study, when ideas are exchanged, debated, developed, and built upon by a group gathered around the same table.
Perhaps that is what makes the library so special. No one races to finish a book or competes to see who reads the most. There is a freedom to wander between shelves, pick up something that catches your eye, and sit down to discover what lies between its pages — scribbled notes in the margins, words tucked into a corner, or a page folded down by someone who found something worth returning to. In academic books, one might even find an easier shortcut written to solve an equation, or a thoughtful note in the lesson from a new perspective. In these little traces, a book becomes more than a book; it carries what captured the minds that have passed through its pages.
For children living in a community where access to educational resources can be limited, a library can mean much more than a room filled with books. It can offer something that many of us take for granted: a place to sit, explore, ask questions, and learn at one’s own pace.
With this in mind, Wildlife SOS, as part of its Tribal Rehabilitation Programme, has established two community libraries for children from the Kalandar community in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh—one in Pakadiyar and the other in Belmhan.
The two libraries were inaugurated in May and June 2026 to make books and a dedicated learning space available for Kalandar children. Located near the Wildlife SOS Study Centres that many children attend, the libraries offer a natural extension to the learning that takes place during their regular classes. Once the lessons are over, the children can explore the subject further by picking up books to study them at their own pace. The libraries have currently been stocked with highly acclaimed and recommended educational books for students from 8th standard to 12th standard, encouraging self-learning and allowing them to delve into topics beyond what is covered in the classroom.
Additionally, the academic library space provides opportunities for children to revisit concepts, practise what they have learnt, and strengthen their understanding and confidence with additional material. More importantly, libraries offer something that cannot always be found: a quiet environment where every student can concentrate on their reading material, without having to worry about financial resources to access them.
The shelves currently hold educational books of subjects ranging from Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies to Hindi and English. For Kalandar families, buying additional sets of supplementary books can be an expense they find difficult to afford, especially as children progress academically. The library makes these very resources easily available to students from different grades.
Building on a Journey of Education
The opening of libraries is another step forward in the journey of supporting education within the Kalandar community.
When Wildlife SOS Co-founders Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani began working with the Kalandar community in the mid-1990s, they quickly realised that rescuing and rehabilitating the ‘dancing’ bears could not be separated from addressing the hardships faced by the people who financially depended on them. The team spent time within the community, listening to their experiences and understanding the challenges that had shaped their lives.
This understanding led to the Tribal Rehabilitation Programme, built around education, alternative livelihoods and women’s empowerment. The aim was not only to end the cruel practice of ‘dancing’ bears, but to help Kalandar families build stable lives without depending on animals for their livelihood.
Education was a crucial part of this transformation. For many Kalandar families, school was unfamiliar territory. Parents who had never attended school themselves often could not help their children with their studies, while children entering classrooms for the first time needed support to adjust to a completely new way of learning.
The cost of essential academic books should never become a barrier to learning, with the library making them accessible to the Kalandar students. [Photo © Wildlife SOS]
Wildlife SOS therefore worked to remove some of these barriers, supporting children with school admissions, fees, books, stationery, uniforms and school bags. As children became more familiar with formal education, tuition centres were also established to provide additional academic support and help them develop the confidence and skills needed to study independently.
Today, the programme has supported more than 17,000 Kalandar children in accessing education and helped over 5,000 families work towards economic self-sufficiency through livelihood initiatives.
A space where learning continues
For something new to take root within a community, it takes time, patience, and effort from everyone involved. Breaking away from long-standing barriers and perceptions does not happen overnight. Through effort and its results, Kalandar families have come forward to embrace education. Now is the right time to help the students access additional resources to increase their knowledge and bolster their aspirations.
The goal is no longer simply to help children enter school, but to give them the tools and an environment of learning through a library.
After attending sessions at the Wildlife SOS Study Centres, students are now using the libraries to spend time studying further. Gradually, little groups sitting together are sharing their notes to further their thoughts and discussions.
With more students entering the library in their respective villages, many have also taken on the role of helping their friends clear doubts about new concepts, and while doing so, sharpening their own skills through the power of shared learning. And if ever they do get stumped by an idea or a concept, the tuition centre staff and the library caretaker are always there to lend their helpful ears! The current library caretaker of both libraries is Akram Ali, who was previously a tuition teacher for Kalandar children at the study centre. When the library opened up, Akram was offered the opportunity to manage the precious collection of books for the students.
Belonging to the Kalandar community, Akram’s own life has been intertwined with Wildlife SOS. With the organisation’s support, he completed a computer course, gaining a new and advanced skill. His two children are also receiving support through Wildlife SOS’s education initiatives and now spend time at the library, studying under the watchful eye of their father, who proudly looks after the space.
The libraries are finally letting the Kalandar kids live through an essential aspect of childhood that promises many moments to cherish: friends settling down beside each other, pages turning, pencils moving across notebooks and the occasional whispered conversation between reading lessons.
Future Plans
For now, the shelves may be holding textbooks, but there is plenty of room for the libraries to grow. Rakhee Sharma, Senior Project Manager – Community Initiatives & Outreach at Wildlife SOS, has a strong vision. The intention is to gradually add storybooks, children’s literature, picture books, general knowledge, activity books, and other creative material, opening up new ways for children to explore the world of reading beyond what is present in their school curriculum. “We welcome second-hand books in good condition from Wildlife SOS supporters to help build these collections, and bring more stories and ideas within the children’s reach,” says Ms Rakhee.
As the students graduate to their next grade, we hope that our libraries simultaneously grow with activities that can encourage young minds to read, imagine and creatively express themselves. Along with devouring wonderful books, drawing and awareness sessions are already being conducted, with the recent Independence Day celebration on August 15 offering the children an opportunity to come together and participate beyond their regular studies. Over time, the libraries could become spaces where children not only study, but also read for pleasure, share what they read, and create art, poems, essays and stories alongside one another.
Today, these libraries are only beginning to take shape. But with every book added, every child who settles down to read, and every afternoon spent learning together, libraries can slowly become a place that is cared for and maintained by the community.
Since the last 32 years, Wildlife SOS has been working alongside Kalandar families to make education and sustainable livelihoods more accessible. The new libraries in Belmhan and Pakadiyar are another part of that continuing effort.
You can support Wildlife SOS in continuing to create opportunities for Kalandar children to develop their creativity, improve their reading habits, and become more aware of important social and community-related issues. If you would like to know more about how you can support this work or explore other ways to contribute, drop us an email at [email protected].
