Feel Good Friday - Rainbow Reading Gardens

If you've been following Feel Good Friday, you know I love stories about literacy, libraries and the like (alliteration too). Today, we're going to visit a group that has established 29 children's libraries across 14 islands in Eastern Indonesia - Rainbow Reading Gardens! Or Taman Bacaan Pelangi, for those of you who speak Indonesian.

It started in November, 2009 when founder Nila Tanzil brought 200 books to a small village called Roe. As explained on the website, "Our goal is simple: more books and more libraries means kids in remote areas in Indonesia are given access to books and stories that will open a whole new world of opportunity." The original library in Roe now has over 3,000 books!

These are not the libraries I grew up with in the United States. Many times, these libraries are located in people's homes. You can watch a very short video of a fisherman named Pak Baco, who agreed to host a library in his house in hopes that the kids in his village, including his own, will expand their horizons and even go on to get a university education.

These hopes are shared by the people working for the organization. "At Taman Baccan Pelangi (Rainbow Reading Gardens), we encourage children to dream big. And books will inspire, broaden their horizon and motivate them to reach their dream." In the last five years, over 6,000 children in Eastern Indonesia have had access to the books in the libraries.

If your summer travels take you to Indonesia, you can volunteer at a library and meet some of the children in person. If you'll stay closer to home this summer, you can always donate some cash, like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @pelangibook. If you don't do it for me, do it for LeVar Burton.

Feel Good Friday - Sri Lestari and Wheels for Humanity

Several months ago, Feel Good Friday celebrated the work of Habitat for Humanity. Today, we're here to spread the word about Wheels for Humanity.

UCP (United Cerebral Palsy) Wheels for Humanity began in 1995 with the delivery of 130 wheelchairs to people in Guatemala. Their mission is to provide "mobility, dignity and opportunity to people with disabilities in developing countries." Almost 20 years later, they now operate a 10,880-square-foot warehouse in North Hollywood, CA and a quick peak at their destinations map will show you they are worldwide.

Perhaps their most famous spokesperson is Sri Lestari from Central Java. Injured in a motorcycle accident that left her paralyzed from the chest down when she was 23, the loss of her mobility and independence plunged her into a deep depression and she rarely went outside her home. 

That was until she learned of the Wheels for Humanity program that modifies motorcycles to include a wheelchair platform, hand controlled stick-shift and brakes and other elements that make them possible for people in wheelchairs to drive.

After getting some financial assistance, not only did Sri get a modified motorcycle but she also became an outreach officer for Wheels and now travels the country providing support to the estimated 2 million people living with disabilities in Indonesia. Recently she drove over 750 miles from the capital, Jakarta, to Ubud on the island of Bali on a campaign to empower disabled people.

As she states in this much more detailed article in the Christian Science Monitor, "I think I am a good example. So many parents will see the positive things from me - that even if they have children with a disability, they have a brighter purpose, that hopefully their children can be like me. They can be free and independent."

Want to stay inspired by Sri's independent spirit? Follow and like her Facebook page and do the same for Wheels of Humanity.