Learning comes alive for Roberto and his friends

In rural Timor-Leste access to early education is limited, but each week when the colourful mobile library arrives in his village, 8-year-old Roberto gathers with his friends to read, play and act out stories, building confidence and creativity along the way.

Roberu is holding the book Alicia, while his friend holds a book about wildcats. — Roberto, holding a book titled *Alicia*, as his friend shows off a story about wildcats. Photo Credit: Rogerio M. Lopes

Books come to Roberto’s village every week

In remote areas of Timor-Leste, access to education is a major challenge especially for young children. Many have limited access to pre-schools and lack child friendly learning materials, especially in the municipalities of Aileu, Ainaro and Manufahi, where only 2 out of 4 children attend pre-school, and many families do not have books and other learning materials in their homes.

But every week a colorful truck full of learning materials come to the village. The truck is not only for transportation but also a mobile classroom full of books, music, games and stories that can help spark imagination and open learning doors for children living in rural areas.

In a circle of friends, Roberto finds his voice

Children always run with joy to greet the truck when it arrives. They sing, play maths games and listen to stories that reflect Timorese culture.

Eight-year-old Roberto joins dozens of children each week when the colourful truck visits his village.

“I love reading stories about animals. Now I can learn a lot of lessons from them,” he says with a radiant smile. “We make the sounds together like deer, birds, or frogs. It’s so funny! I like pretending to be the animals while we read,” said Roberto with big smile.

“I love reading stories about animals. Now I can learn a lot of lessons from them.”
Roberto

Each session encourages self-expression. Roberto and his friends take turns reading aloud, acting with their voices, or creating animal sounds. These playful, creative activities help them step out of their comfort zones, build confidence, and strengthen their language skills while having fun. The children gather in a circle on the ground, flipping through pages filled with colorful illustrations.

For Roberto, learning has become something to look forward to, not just in school, but in a space where they feel seen, heard, and inspired. “I want to continue to read history book,” he shared.

Parents join the learning journey

The impact extends beyond the children. Parents participate in workshops focused on early childhood development, positive discipline, and how to support learning at home. In the past, many didn’t read with their children — but today, reading together has become part of everyday life, enriching the parent-child relationship and reinforcing what children learn in school and through the mobile library.

About the mobile library

The mobile library is an innovative early childhood development programme designed to bring friendly learning directly to children and communities living in rural areas.

During the implementation from 2023 to 2025, the programme has reached a total of 21,171 children, opening the door to education for every child. One of them is Roberto, who now gathers with his friends to read stories in a circle on the ground, discovering the joy of books and the power of learning through play.