Bubisher: A Bus of Books for Children in Western Sahara

Bubisher..Books for Western Sahara children in refugee camps

Bubisher..Books for Western Sahara children in refugee camps

Bubisher means “a bird bringing good news.” According  to Roge Blog, it is also the name of a Saharaui poetry book. But for hundreds of children living in refugee camps in Western Sahara, it is the name of a bus full of books, explains Haz lo que debas.

Gonzalo Moure, a children's book author and the man behind Bubisher says:

El Bubisher no lleva libros regalados o sobrantes, sino un plan de lectura, con 4 o 20 ejemplares por titulo, para un fondo inicial de 1400 libros.

Bubisher does not carry used or extra books, but it is a reading plan with 4 – 20 copies per title to start a library of 1,400 books

Abueliki blog encourages us to read the Bubisher blog, meet the creative bus and support the endeavour – not only with funding but through sharing experiences and learning about the exemplary way in which volunteers engage in the project and love it. Among them are politicians, universities, publishing houses and ordinary people.


EL PAJARO QUE TRAE LA BUENA SUERTE from Irene Bailo on Vimeo.

Kalandra Blog explains more:

Además de libros en castellano, donados por editoriales como KALANDRAKA, el Bubisher también incorpora una selección de literatura infantil y juvenil en árabe, lo que afianza los lazos de la multiculturalidad. Frente a la carencia de libros y de espacios de lectura, el Bubi supone “una biblioteca abierta y que se acerca a los lectores”, tal y como ha expresado Gonzalo Moure. Una biblioteca rodante, en constante movimiento.

In addition to books in Castillian Spanish donated by publishing houses like Kalandra, Bubisher has a collection of books for children and youth in the Arabic language strengthening the ties with multiculturalism. Facing a lack of books and spaces to read, the Bubi is an open library that goes to where the readers are, as explained by Gonzalo Moure. A mobile library, always on the move.

Would you like to volunteer with Bubisher? You can do it by joining their 120 Bubisher friends initiative which partners with classrooms or even schools to collect some funds or you can donate books or funds on your own. You can also translate their materials from Spanish to other languages or you can just forward the Bubisher poster to your friends and print it to show it to your offline community.  And there is more, you can visit the refugee camps as a volunteer and share some good readings with the children.

In conclusion, I would like to quote Bubisher creator Gonzalo Moure, discussing literature and books:

Eso es la literatura: corazones que no dejan de latir, pensamiento sin la barrera del tiempo. El corazón del abuelo latiendo en nuestro pecho. El aliento de Homero en nuestros oídos. Leer es vencer al tiempo, tener mil corazones

This is literature: hearts that continue to beat, thoughts that are challenging time barriers. The heart of our grandfather beating in our chest. Homer's breath in our ears. To read is to challenge time, to feel with a thousand hearts.

7 comments

  • […] Renata Avila on Global Voices] Posted in Breidjing Camp, Education var […]

  • Hola, Renata. No tengo palabras (por una vez) para expresarte la emoción que siento por tu contribución al Bubisher, en esta web y en la de 80+1. Ni el agradecimiento.
    Intuyo que estás en Guatemala. ¿Tienes previsto pasar por Madrid? Vamos a tener una reunión de “bubisheros”, a finales de junio, para programar el año que viene, con un montón de novedades y propuestas. Nos encantaría conocerte. Puedes escribirme a mi dirección electrónica, si quieres, para contarme un poco más de lo que haces por allí.
    Gracias, de todo corazón.

  • malainin s n

    Thanks again Renata. Good post for such an inspiring initiative!!

  • Furkush

    Wonderful contribution to those who need it most. thanks once more Renata for your thousand hearts

  • Excellent project! Very inspiring. Children need books and people who love stories.Congratulations for this great initiative.

  • Rock

    This is a commendable initiative. Saharans in the Tindouf camps have been living in intolerable inhuman conditions for so long.

    Actions in terms of humanitarian support are therefore so laudable whenever it is possible and in all areas of life, to try to ease the sufferings of the Tindouf camps refugees.

    However, this should be done with the least possible ideological exploitation particularly as far as actions that are intended to help people are concerned.

    Such action should also be accompanied by a backing from other associations to help speed up the political process that will finally resolve the Western Sahara conflict, enable these refugees to go back home so that, after more than three decades of misery, can get back to normal life and better future.

    It is therefore essential to encourage parties agree on a political compromise that would solve the Sahara issue quickly, autonomy can be a good basis for this compromise.

  • Ahmed Salem Amr Khaddad

    Thank you Rock for your intellectual honesty. As an unionist western saharawi, I really appreciate your neutral point of view and your focus on the humanitarian aspect of the issue without any political consideration. God bless you and all those who are really working on joining families in the Western Sahara Territory.

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