They will learn to value books and stories, which is why children’s books are really important....
books
Books are magical. They nourish kids’ imaginations, expanding their worlds. Reading and sharing stories can help children get to know sounds, words and language, and develop early literacy skills. They will learn to value books and stories, which is why children’s books are really important.
Recently, Nigar Nazar, Chief Executive of Gogi Studios, took on the arduous task of getting children to read books. She was confident that if the stories are full of colourful cartoon illustrations you can grab their attention… and it worked.
She decided to do it for the underprivileged kids who never owned a storybook and who didn’t have the luxury of a smartphone or computer. In these Covid times, she felt for them.
She connected with people running welfare schools, shanty schools (in a juggi), garage school and orphanages and gave them a set of seven Gogi books. The books were on social awareness subjects ranging from corruption to girls’ education, extremism and interfaith harmony including a book of Gogi cartoons on everyday life humour. All this was initiated to pay tribute to the Pakistani children on Independence Day, this year. Requests flowed in from Gilgit Baltistan to Hunza, Badin and Tharparkar. The books went to the children of martyrs, and of the labour class whose parents were illiterate. The glossy colourful books can be read, shared and lent to neighbours and relatives. “When we calculated it, we found out that we donated Gogi books worth six million! All for a good cause,” quipped Nigar.
There were reading sessions conducted. One of the sessions had Zartaj Gul, Minister of Environment, who joined Nigar in the austere setting of Master Ayub’s Park School. Ms Gul participated in this event of Gogi Books distribution and lauded the efforts of Gogi Studios. She particularly appreciated the Gogi books which depict environment, issues, clothing and interiors in the illustrations which indigenous to us. Minister Zartaj expressed that she liked seeing local characters, especially Gogi with her polka dots, big eyelashes and desi look in ‘Going Gogi’. Ms Gul was hopeful that the children will be exposed to more desi comic books. Moreover, she enjoyed the book on environment, ‘Koorey ka Jin’ and was keen to have Nigar sign it for her daughter who is a passionate environmentalist.
Raising awareness, getting kids to learn good values through comic books is their aim, hence their slogan: After all we rise with reading. Therefore, Nigar has designed a strategy for privileged children to become ‘Champions of change’ through volunteerism using the Gogi books.
Apart from all the great work, Nigar is gearing up to launch her thirteenth book on climate change, ‘My Tree Book’. We wish her best of luck for her endeavours.
— A. Jafri
