Chitwan: The Jhuwani Community Library and Resource Centre ( JCLRC ) in the district has bagged an international award for its contribution to community development.

Beyond Access, a global initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other INGOs to make public libraries a hub for development, rewarded the JCLRC with this year’s “People’s Choice Award” for a model project on the expansion of safe motherhood services presented in a library for development contest during the innovative library camp organised from October 1-3 in the United States. The reward carries a purse of $ 10,000.

Representatives from 20 countries participated in the competition while around 400 representatives from 39 countries were present at the event.

“We are carrying out various social works in the local community. But, we had not expected such big reward. After being awarded, we have additional challenges to bring about changes in the society now,” JCLRC Chairman Keshabraj Acharya said.

He said they had been carrying out various social works such as setting up health camps for women with uterine prolapse and dental camps, among others. Likewise, the JCLRC has also established libraries in two local schools and provided ambulance service to local people.

Acharya said the amount of the reward will be utilised in the project on safe motherhood services. He said that under the nine-month project, they aim at spreading awareness about maternal health problems among local women. He said that women volunteers have been mobilised in the village for the purpose. Likewise, the JCLRC also won awards on different seven categories among many community libraries across the country.

Established in a building of Jhuwani Higher Secondary School in 2000, the JCLRC has now 9,286 books of different genres. A JCLRC employee said more than 200 people visit the library on a daily basis.

source: The Kathmandu Post,23 Nov 2012