A book bank for underprivileged students

NGO collects 2,000 notebooks from donors

For knowledge: Notebooks donated to the book bank at Bodepudi Vingnana Kendram being distributed to underprivileged students, at Khammam on on Monday.

In an effort to provide notebooks and study material free of cost to underprivileged students of State-run schools, the Ankuram Vidya Vikasa Kendram (AVVK), a town-based non-governmental organisation, set up a book bank at Bodepudi Vignana Kendram here.

A group of socially conscious denizens of the town, including retired employees, joined hands to support the cause of students from disadvantaged sections to enable them expand their frontiers of knowledge and achieve their academic and career goals.

The founding members of AVVK established a book bank at the library of Bodepudi Vignana Kendram on the premises of Sundaraiah Bhavan. The NGO has earned wide reputation for imparting quality coaching for various competitive examinations, including POLYCET, without charging students any money.

Since May 19, the day the book bank came into existence, the organisation has collected around 2,000 notebooks from donors. Though the government is already providing free textbooks to schoolchildren of State-run schools, students from poor families find it hard to afford notebooks, which are priced exorbitantly, said T. Lakshmi Narasaiah, a retired lecturer of SR&BGNR Government Degree College, Khammam.

“This prompted us to set up a book bank as per the advice of noted gastroenterologist Dr. Bharavi and senior advocate Kolli Satyanarayana, who are the chief advisers of AVVK,” Mr. Narsaiah, one of the organisers of the book bank, told The Hindu .

Social media campaign

A vigorous campaign on the book bank was being spearheaded on social media and also in the form of door-to-door awareness drives, to motivate people donate notebooks and other useful study material on important occasions like their birthdays and wedding anniversaries.

“There has been a good response from donors to our appeal,” he said, adding that the notebooks and study material would be distributed among needy students soon after schools reopen on June 12.

Students who have completed their SSC, Intermediate, or professional courses, were also being encouraged to donate their books as well as relevant study material, if any, meant for various competitive exams.