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THE pioneering Reading Rocks literacy project is branching out in more ways than one ... and a dramatic tree mural is helping to ensure it continues to grow in the hearts of the children involved.
An awe-inspiring tree has been placed on the wall of the Pakistan School library in Isa Town where dedicated volunteers have been running a reading programme every Tuesday for 18 months.
Reading Rocks has already injected a love of reading among pupils, recently attracting the attention of literacy professionals on the island and a group of senior students from neighbouring St Christopher's School have also joined in to help.
Pakistan Women's Association (PWA) volunteer and mother-of-three, Farah Khan, explained: "The tree is symbolic and, of course, cheers up an otherwise dull library. The tree is the first in a series of new goals that we have for Reading Rocks. Buying into a reading programme and library furniture are the next important ones."
Celebrated Bahrain-based artist Seana Mallen helped lead the symbolic tree painting, leaf-sticking community initiative and she was joined by volunteers and students from both schools.
"Just as a tree grows towards the light, Reading Rocks wants to take its children towards enlightenment and a better understanding of the world," added Farah.
"A tree gives shade - Reading Rocks wants to send the message of peace from the Pakistan School library. The leaves of the tree are copied texts of book ... the grass or the foundation, palm prints of every single person who has been a part of this programme.
"All this could only be achieved because so many people came together selflessly."
At the end of one reading session 160 palm prints went under the tree. Most of the students at the Pakistan School, which runs an English curriculum, come from large families with limited economic resources; some parents have limited English language skills and cannot afford new books.
Spurred by the desire to make a difference, 12 volunteering mothers who have children going to leading British and American schools on the island started visiting the school once a week to read story books to pupils.
The neighbouring St Christopher's Senior School found out about the scheme through one of the volunteer mothers and wanted to join hands to help.
The school was forthcoming in sharing its resources with the reading group especially its human resources. Now 15 International Baccalaureate students have been working alongside the volunteer group as part of their Community Action Service (CAS) course work. The school has trained the young boys and girls for the weekly interactive literacy session. The programme has become so popular that even some A' level students have given up their free time to help.
In the pipeline now is a joint art project between the Reading Rocks children and their St Christopher's peers. This project will take eight weeks to complete at the school's premises in Saar. The completed project will then be split up between the two schools.
Following this, the volunteers hope to hold combined reading sessions and raise enough funds to buy a recognised programme for guided reading sessions.
Farah added: "We feel we have proved that we can make a difference and are ready to go to the next level. Library furniture will also be needed, as will more age appropriate and well illustrated library books for six to seven-year-olds."
The campaigners are also aiming for Reading Rocks to become self-reliant and self-funded.
