Reading in Nomadic Tents / The Light of Culture Shines in the Villages of Khanmirza
Deep in the Zagros mountains, somewhere amidst the green plains and scattered villages of Khanmirza in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, every morning, while the morning mist still rests on the plains, a white car ventures onto dusty, winding roads to bring stories, colors, games, and hope to rural children. This car is the mobile library of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, and its librarian is Milad Sadeghi; a librarian who for years has dedicated himself with the mobile library to nomadic children, bringing them stories, colors, games, and hope.
The Institute’s mobile library in Khanmirza County visits two villages daily and covers a total of 22 nomadic villages. This continuous presence not only brings books to underserved areas but also carries culture, art, and dreams. Milad Sadeghi told IBNA: For the children of these areas, the mobile library is not just a car; it’s a happy promise. I haven’t even fully parked the car yet when I hear their laughter and running from afar.
He speaks of his memories; of moments that are sometimes funny, sometimes thought-provoking. One of these memories relates to a shepherd boy who had left his books next to the sheep, and when he returned, he saw that the goats had eaten the books! With a lump in his throat, he said: “Sir, I’m sorry… will you still lend me books?” Sadeghi smiles and says: I told him, on the condition that this time you read them yourself, not your sheep!
But this path is not always smooth. Dusty roads, dangers along the way, lack of proper infrastructure, and sometimes adverse weather conditions are part of the daily challenges for mobile librarians. Sadeghi said in this regard: Sometimes the car gets stuck in the mud, and I have to continue on foot. But when I reach the school and the children look at me with sparkling eyes, all the hardships are forgotten.
The mobile library doesn’t just bring books; it brings trust, it brings kindness, an opportunity for growth and imagination. Children who were unfamiliar with books until yesterday, today eagerly borrow books, read stories, recite poetry, and even perform plays. Milad Sadeghi continued: The children now encourage their families to come with them and get books when the car arrives.
This librarian is a multifaceted educator. He begins his classes with music, introduces authentic Bakhtiari melodies, reads Shahnameh, and teaches the art of Naqqali (traditional Iranian dramatic storytelling). On summer nights, he shows films with a projector in nomadic tents, identifies and guides local talents. The mobile vehicle is also equipped with a projector, power inverter, board games, and boxes full of colorful books.
Despite all efforts, this path needs support. Roads, equipment, fresh books, and even more human resources can make this light shine brighter. Sadeghi emphasized: A mobile instructor must know design, be skilled in music and origami, and most importantly, know how to speak to children’s hearts.
The Institute’s mobile library in Khanmirza is an example of hundreds of silent but effective efforts across the country; an effort that quietly, but with endless love, takes to the road every day to connect a child with a story, a poem, or even a smile, to a brighter future.
