A grassroots organization is working hard to improve literacy rates in remote parts of Manggarai, West Manggarai and East Manggarai regencies in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

In addition, the West Flores Kompak Le Nuk Literacy Institution has also spread its wings into Southwest Sumba and East Sumba regencies as well as into some regencies on Timor Island, also in NTT.

The institution collaborates with community libraries, such as Taman Baca Mentari in Reo district, Taman Baca Mutiara Pelangi Reo in Manggarai and Taman Baca Alhidayah in West Manggarai.

It has distributed the Quran for Muslims as well as educational books and other books.

Haji Udin from Taman Baca Mutiara Pelangi Reo in Reo district, Manggarai regency, receives a Quran from West Flores Kompak Le Nuk Institution founder Pastor Wilfridus Babun on March 14. (JP/Markus Makur)

Established in 2016, the institution's founder Pastor Wilfridus "Wilfrid" Babun recently told The Jakarta Post that it aimed to improve West Flores children’s access to books.

In honor of the positive initiative, Wilfrid was invited by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to discuss his work at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta alongside other inspiring promoters of literacy across the country. "I was the only one invited from NTT," he added.

Since 2017, the institution has distributed thousands of books to 20 literacy communities in West Flores. Between December last year and March 2019 alone, the institution distributed 1000 books.

"The reading score of Indonesians is actually quite high. Based on the World Culture Score Index, Indonesians spend up to six hours reading a week, which is higher than Germans and Americans [5.42 hours], and even Japanese people [4.06 hours]", Wilfred said. (kes)