Fabi’s Corner, a Book Exchange in Nicaragua

From 100% Noticias, By EFE

HAVANA TIMES – El Rincón de Fabi (Fabi’s Corner) is a platform to promote reading to attract new readers in Nicaragua. It held its first book exchange of the year this past Saturday, because, according to its promoter, journalist Fabiola Tercero, “knowledge must flow.”

Different works of foreign and Nicaraguan literature were exchanged, as well as children’s books, accounting books, English books, among other genres, Tercero told EFE.

The journalist explained that this platform for the promotion of reading was born in 2017 seeking to attract  new readers in the digital age. One of their activities is to hold book exchanges barter or raffle .                                                               

“El Rincón de Fabi was born out of the need that there are no spaces for readers (in Nicaragua). Not everyone has access to books or, sometimes, some people have the books and they remain on a shelf filling with dust, and knowledge must flow,” she said.

Tercero assured that this cultural initiative has been well accepted and has received, as donations, thousands of books, many of which are later exchanged.

“These types of activities are needed because we are a poor country and educational resources need to be specifically in comprehension, reflection and argumentation, which is what is lacking in public schools in this country, where there is no critical reflection,” she noted.

“Today’s children read to read, but we need children to reflect,” she considered.

In short, Fabi’s Corner promotes reading and makes books of any genre accessible so that new generations can enjoy them without worrying about the price, according to its promoter.

The methodology is that readers can exchange books, but also, if they can and want, donate them and she distributes them for free.

The young Noel Castellón, who attended the book exchange, observed that in Nicaragua “cultural expression does not have many spaces for dissemination or contact with the population,” which is why he takes part in the initiative of Fabi’s Corner.

Nicaragua is below the regional average in Science, Mathematics and Reading, according to the results of the Unesco Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study, which urged the country to develop an educational plan.

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