Peru's Barefoot Librarians

Thu, 05 Jul 2001 19:45:20 +0000

Twelve year-old Leonardo Herrera had never seen a book in his life although he knew how to read. He and his friends used to carve letters and numbers on cactus leaves after seeing their teacher do the same on small blackboards.

He belongs to poor peasant family in Bambamarca in Peru. His family grows maize and potatoes in a place which is 12,000 feet above sea-level.

But Leonardo wanted to see what a book looks like. So he asked the new priest in his parish to give him one. But there was no electricity in his village. So Leonardo borrowed candles from the church and sat up all night reading it. By dawn, he was at the door of the priest asking for another book to read.

Peru on Pitara Kids Network

Peru's Barefoot Librarians