The Library The Biblioteca Los Almendros organized a reflection meeting focused on reading, with the participation of five young people from CORPEB, who in turn participate in the workshops of the Centro Ocupacional Hortiterapéutico (COH)
At the end of each of the modules contained in these workshops, the Library intervenes to carry out this reading encounter. These spaces are an invitation to encounter through stories, poetry and songs. “These are moments to talk about subjects that raise us readings and get to know each other a little more”, expressed from the Library, explaining, moreover, that, like many activities of these times, the meeting is made through the Zoom platform.
The book chosen on this occasion to read was “La otra orilla” (The other shore). After the reading, the participants reflected on the story of Gabriela and Nicolás, protagonists of this story, and how they managed to break down all the barriers. “We discovered that we also break down barriers and build bridges to connect with those around us,” the Library concluded.
What is Los Almendros?
Through socio-cultural activities and located in a vulnerable neighborhood in the north of Santiago, the Library seeks to participate in the training of actors of social change in the midst of its environment.
Chile is among the most unequal countries in the world and one of the five most unequal countries in Latin America. This reality is present in a very concrete way in Huechuraba, a town north of Santiago where Fondacio’s headquarters in Chile are located. Here, low-income neighborhoods border high-income areas and a business town. The Library was born in 2002 at the intersection of these worlds. This location not only makes it possible to operate as an actor in the social development of a neighborhood that stands out for its educational and cultural poverty, but also to be a meeting place for different audiences.
The Biblioteca Los Almendros welcomes children, young people and adults from the municipality to offer an enriching reading experience in a friendly and welcoming space.
It seeks to be a place where groups of all ages meet to develop their talents, their capacities for expression, their creativity and to take advantage of different artistic languages through the many activities on offer. It is about integral education, the formation of creative and solid beings, agents of social change in their environment.
The project also focuses on the promotion of reading, seeking to bring the child and his family closer to the world of books from a playful and meaningful look for the construction of his personality. Create networks with the various institutions of the sector in the pursuit of building a community of reading.
In addition to being a place open to the public, equipped with books and games of all kinds to borrow and with a green space for outdoor activities, the library is a key cultural and recreational body in the sector. Its activities are aimed at different audiences: families, children, teenagers and adults.
