Twelve-year-old Leonardo was born in a poor family in Bambamarca in Peru.
Twelve-year-old
Leonardo
was
born
in
a
poor
family
in
Bambamarca
in
Peru
.
He knew how to read but he had never seen a book in his life.
He
knew
how
to
read
but
he
had
never
seen
a
book
in
his
life
.
So he asked the new priest in his village to give him one.
So
he
asked
the
new
priest
in
his
village
to
give
him
one
.
But there was no electricity.
But
there
was
no
electricity
.
So Leonardo borrowed candles from the church and sat up all night reading it.
So
Leonardo
borrowed
candles
from
the
church
and
sat
up
all
night
reading
it
.
The next morning, he was at the door of the priest asking for another book to read.
The
next
morning
,
he
was
at
the
door
of
the
priest
asking
for
another
book
to
read
.
John Medcalf, the priest, was moved.
John
Medcalf
,
the
priest
,
was
moved
.
He also realised that people would love to read if given a chance.
He
also
realised
that
people
would
love
to
read
if
given
a
chance
.
But he knew how difficult it was for Leonardo and those in his village to get books.
But
he
knew
how
difficult
it
was
for
Leonardo
and
those
in
his
village
to
get
books
.
And yet, no one can be taught to read and write without books.
And
yet
,
no
one
can
be
taught
to
read
and
write
without
books
.
To make people in a poor, faraway area grow to love books, they have to be with them.
To
make
people
in
a
poor
,
faraway
area
grow
to
love
books
,
they
have
to
be
with
them
.
So he thought the only way was to bring books to people.
So
he
thought
the
only
way
was
to
bring
books
to
people
.
But how could this be done?
But
how
could
this
be
done
?
Mobile libraries or car libraries would be too expensive and difficult to continue in the rocky, hilly land of Peru.
Mobile
libraries
or
car
libraries
would
be
too
expensive
and
difficult
to
continue
in
the
rocky
,
hilly
land
of
Peru
.
So what other method could be used?
So
what
other
method
could
be
used
?
Medcalf got a new idea from the barefoot doctors of China.
Medcalf
got
a
new
idea
from
the
barefoot
doctors
of
China
.
And that was how the barefoot librarians first appeared in the villages of northern Peru, almost thirty years ago.
And
that
was
how
the
barefoot
librarians
first
appeared
in
the
villages
of
northern
Peru
,
almost
thirty
years
ago
.
The librarians began by going from village to village, lending books to villagers.
The
librarians
began
by
going
from
village
to
village
,
lending
books
to
villagers
.
They helped start The 12ura1 Library Network of Peru.
They
helped
start
The
12ura1
Library
Network
of
Peru
.
At first, they were teachers of the village schools which these faraway libraries belonged to.
At
first
,
they
were
teachers
of
the
village
schools
which
these
faraway
libraries
belonged
to
.
But the teachers were not very interested in the job because it meant a lot of hard work.
But
the
teachers
were
not
very
interested
in
the
job
because
it
meant
a
lot
of
hard
work
.
So, village leaders took on the job themselves.
So
,
village
leaders
took
on
the
job
themselves
.
Today, there are 600 village libraries across Peru.
Today
,
there
are
600
village
libraries
across
Peru
.
The barefoot librarians who walk up to 15 hours a day with bags of books are their lifeline.
The
barefoot
librarians
who
walk
up
to
15
hours
a
day
with
bags
of
books
are
their
lifeline
.
Twelve-year-old Leonardo was born in a poor family in Bambamarca in Peru. He knew how to read but he had never seen a book in his life. So he asked the new priest in his village to give him one. But there was no electricity. So Leonardo borrowed candles from the church and sat up all night reading it. The next morning, he was at the door of the priest asking for another book to read.  John Medcalf, the priest, was moved. He also realised that people would love to read if given a chance. But he knew how difficult it was for Leonardo and those in his village to get books. And yet, no one can be taught to read and write without books. To make people in a poor, faraway area grow to love books, they have to be with them. So he thought the only way was to bring books to people.  But how could this be done? Mobile libraries or car libraries would be too expensive and difficult to continue in the rocky, hilly land of Peru. So what other method could be used?  Medcalf got a new idea from the barefoot doctors of China. And that was how the barefoot librarians first appeared in the villages of northern Peru, almost thirty years ago.  The librarians began by going from village to village, lending books to villagers. They helped start The 12ura1 Library Network of Peru.  At first, they were teachers of the village schools which these faraway libraries belonged to. But the teachers were not very interested in the job because it meant a lot of hard work.  So, village leaders took on the job themselves.  Today, there are 600 village libraries across Peru. The barefoot librarians who walk up to 15 hours a day with bags of books are their lifeline.