Volunteer to Read to Kids

This from Daphne Lee. Dram Projects is looking for volunteers for to read to kids :

1. Rumah Nur Salam
No 24A-B, Jalan Chow Kit
Kuala Lumpur

Work: Storytelling for pre-school and primary level
When: Weekends and/or weekdays
Frequency: At least one hour a week

2. WAO
Petaling Jaya
Work: Storytelling for pre-school and primary level
When: Weekends and weekdays
Frequency: At least one hour a week

3. Burmese refugees
Various locations
Work: Teaching English using storytelling
When: Weekdays
Frequency: At least one hour a week

Guidance and training will be provided.

If you'd like to help, contact Daphne 016-328 1513 or at oneredflower at gmail dot com.

Volunteers Needed to Bring the Joy of Books

This from Daphne Lee:

In 2009, The Dram Projects is concentrating on bringing the thrill and joy of reading to children who belong to communities that have little or no access to books.

At present TDP is visiting a refugee centre in Setapak, and an orphanage in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

We would like to extend our reach but in order to do so, we need volunteers who are willing to spend several hours each week (preferably weekdays but weekends too) with children and teens at homes and shelters.

Volunteers are required to read to the children/teens and facilitate discussion groups and art-in-response-to-stories sessions. Training will be provided.

If you're interested in volunteering or just being kept informed of TDP's activities, please put your email address down on the board that is going round.

(For your blog please say that those who are interested can email info@dramprojects.com or find out more here )

Dram Projects - Faces Tough Times, Smiles on

This message from Daphne came via Facebook and I thought I'd share it since I think her work with Dram Projects is so important :

Hello All! The Dram Projects has been facing some financial difficulty, hit as much as anyone by the current financial crisis. Even leaner times are looming but we are soldiering on.

In 2009, we plan to take the library on the road in a small way. We will be making house-calls (once a week) to two community-run shelters, reading to the children there, and lending them books.

We are also participating in a youth fair in January where two of our volunteers, both lawyers, will be speaking on copyright and civil rights.

In February, I'll be sharing at a British Council conference on running reading groups, and using picture books to teach young children.

We're also going to organise a booksale to raise some funds, and are thinking up other ways to keep afloat.

We will keep you informed of other activities as they are confirmed.

Meanwhile, have a Happy Christmas and New Year.

- Daphne Lee

Your Next Cheap Book Fix

Time to stock up on some cheap reads? I snapped the picture above at BookXcess a few weeks back on my first visit to the shop since it had expanded. Was pleasantly surprised, not just at the cheap prices and the wide choice of titles, but also how pleasantly 'squidgy' the bookshop is. The only reason that I'm not there all the time ... well, you guys can fill in the blanks.

And they also have a snazzy new website with lists of all the books in stock and a map to help you find them.

Pay Less are having another warehouse sale this weekend, this time at the YMCA. (Click to enlarge the map.) I might be tempted meself!

Postscript:

And here's another source of cheap books, found via good-ole Facebook!

Secondhand and nearly-new books for sale at The Dram Projects to raise funds for the MY-UK Project, a creative arts exchange between Malaysian and British kids.

The aim of this exchange is to, ultimately, enable the participants to share with their communities what they have learnt, through performances and workshops.

Saturday, March 1, 2008
Time: 9:00am - 3:00pm
Location: The Dram Projects, BG-6 Happy Mansions, Jalan 17/13, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia