Randa associative network has taken an initiative to develop reading in the northern regions of the country through the establishment of nomadic libraries that refers to the way of life of people living in the most remote localities. With the support of UNDP, it launched in March 2021 in Dougoum, in the region of Tadjourah, the first nomadic library to create an interest in reading among the populations and to facilitate access to educational resources for all.

At a time when new information and communication technologies have changed the world, where social networks and other chat and dating sites allow young people to communicate and "chat" all day long using their computer or cell phone, the place of reading in the world begins to shrink.

And Djiboutians who were not very keen on reading even before the appearance of the internet, face book, twitter and smartphones, have taken the annoying habit of turning their backs on books and reading.

People of orality as everywhere in Africa, the Djiboutian society is now going through a very worrying stage because from the smallest to the biggest, the aversion to reading is palpable. Instead, people prefer to surf the internet, play video games and spend most of their time in front of the television.

If the older generations always had their own bedside books and stormed the libraries and places of knowledge, today's youth and even adults show a total lack of interest in reading.

In the regions of the interior of the country, there is a crucial lack of libraries and corners for reading. This is the observation made by the Associative Network of Randa which decided to remedy this situation by launching a project of nomadic library which refers particularly to the way of life of the rural populations of Djibouti.   This project supported by the UNDP aims to reach the most people with the object-book in the most remote areas of Djibouti.   

Many visits have been made by this association to schools in rural areas and many complaints have been collected from parents, teachers and civil society actors. The establishment of a mobile library that travels to different localities and schools will aim to create an interest in reading among the population, especially the youngest. This project will facilitate access to educational resources in areas where access is extremely limited or impossible. The project is in line with the UNDP's "Leave No One Behind" strategy in that it targets marginalized populations whose access to educational resources is difficult. 

Introducing children to books and stimulating their interest in reading

This initiative also aims at introducing books to children and arousing their interest in reading. It will create an environment conducive to the practice of reading as well as dynamics around reading by motivating people to read. It intends to contribute to the success of students by training them to read, and thus, positively affect the illiteracy rate and the schooling rate of children. It will promote the book as a learning tool as well as a distraction. Emphasis will also be placed on digital resources where people will have the opportunity to learn how to use them. It will draw the attention of parents to the importance of books and reading as a factor of success. It will also facilitate local cohesion through the organization of reading sessions.

According to Mohamed Ahmed Ali, President of the Associative Network of Randa "The nomadic library is an initiative of the Association RAR whose goal is to give access to students from rural schools. It is a reading project that is national, but for this edition, we focused on the region of Tadjourah and Obock. Reading is a divine injunction and we note that few people read, and starting with the localities, we seek to encourage this practice essential and necessary for the success of our children. A total of 7 localities will be concerned, namely Sagallou, Dougoum, Randa and Dorra for the region of Tadjourah and Daleyaf, Orobor and Assassan for the region of Obock.  I would like to thank the UNDP for its support to our association to organize this event in good conditions. Various activities will be carried out in schools, community development centers or sometimes even in the center of villages, under trees or in gardens. A way to encourage reading and to familiarize rural communities with reading. We will use traditional means of transportation (camels, camels, etc.) and modern ones (cars, tricycles, etc.). ".

UNDP Resident Representative in Djibouti, Ms. Fatouma Elsheikh declared: "We are proud of this partnership that allows us to reach and include the most remote people and leave no one behind. This may not make sense in most development contexts where we work, but I am very proud of this initiative which, despite natural barriers and road infrastructure allows nomads to reach the SDGs on a camel with digital tablets. "

The first nomadic library is a landmark initiative, as it democratizes reading and reaches the most remote areas of the country. Finally, it contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly by facilitating access to education, gender equality and the reduction of inequalities.