On April 21, representatives from the Givaudan Foundation and the Balai Penjaminan Mutu Pendidikan (BPMP) Provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara visited two elementary schools in Wolasi, Konawe Selatan Regency. The visit was accompanied by the Taman Bacaan Pelangi team as part of the school selection process for the 2026 Child-Friendly Library Project.

The Child-Friendly Library Project is a program that revitalizes school libraries to make them more engaging and child-friendly, while also providing high-quality children’s books and organizing regular reading activities in school libraries. In collaboration with the Givaudan Foundation, Taman Bacaan Pelangi has established 13 child-friendly libraries in Sulawesi. For the 2026 project, this partnership will continue with the establishment of three new child-friendly libraries in Sulawesi, specifically in Mamuju Regency, Konawe Selatan Regency, and Buton Regency.

During the visit, and as part of the school selection process, discussions were held with school principals and teachers at each school and proceeded smoothly. Several key factors in ensuring the sustainability of the program include strong school leadership and collaboration among teachers. Representatives from the various institutions asked questions to principals and teachers to better understand their needs, assess the schools’ readiness, and gather feedback and input on the program.

The visits to the two schools also revealed several similarities, namely a very limited collection of children’s books and the absence of regular reading activities in the school libraries.

The Head of BPMP Southeast Sulawesi, who was also present during the visit, stated, “Access to high-quality children’s reading materials plays an important role in improving children’s literacy. Therefore, the Child-Friendly Library Project is highly important for both schools.”