In the streets of Lyari, Karachi, a young man is bringing books to children who may not have easy access to them. Mohammad Noman became a storyteller with Kahaani Sawaari, a mobile literacy initiative by GoRead.pk.
Instead of waiting for children to find a library, the library comes to them. Noman transformed an old ice cream cart into a mobile library, filling it with books and taking it through neighbourhoods.
Noman’s connection with the children he meets is personal. He had left school as a teenager before eventually returning to education, giving him an understanding of how easily circumstances can interrupt a child’s learning.
Through Kahaani Sawaari, he now uses storytelling to make reading feel accessible, engaging and enjoyable. Rather than simply handing children books, he sits with them, reads aloud and brings the stories to life.
The idea is simple but powerful: a child does not always need a grand library to discover books.
The initiative has grown far beyond a single cart or one neighbourhood. According to reporting by The Guardian in 2024, Kahaani Sawaari had reached more than 15,000 children through around 700 sessions.
The project focuses on bringing literacy and storytelling into communities where access to books and educational resources can be limited.
Its impact is not measured only in the number of books distributed, but also in the moments when children become interested in reading and learning.
Noman’s mobile library is a reminder that improving education does not always begin with building something enormous. Sometimes, it starts with one person, a few books and the decision to keep showing up.
By taking stories directly into Lyari’s streets, Kahaani Sawaari creates a space where children can read, listen, imagine and simply enjoy being around books.
For children who may face barriers to formal education, these small encounters can make learning feel possible again.
In the streets of Lyari, Karachi, a young man is bringing books to children who may not have easy access to them.
In the streets of Lyari, Karachi, a young man is bringing books to children who may not have easy access to them. Mohammad Noman became a storyteller with Kahaani Sawaari, a mobile literacy initiative by GoRead.pk.
Instead of waiting for children to find a library, the library comes to them. Noman transformed an old ice cream cart into a mobile library, filling it with books and taking it through neighbourhoods.
Noman’s connection with the children he meets is personal. He had left school as a teenager before eventually returning to education, giving him an understanding of how easily circumstances can interrupt a child’s learning.
Through Kahaani Sawaari, he now uses storytelling to make reading feel accessible, engaging and enjoyable. Rather than simply handing children books, he sits with them, reads aloud and brings the stories to life.
The idea is simple but powerful: a child does not always need a grand library to discover books.
The initiative has grown far beyond a single cart or one neighbourhood. According to reporting by The Guardian in 2024, Kahaani Sawaari had reached more than 15,000 children through around 700 sessions.
The project focuses on bringing literacy and storytelling into communities where access to books and educational resources can be limited.
Its impact is not measured only in the number of books distributed, but also in the moments when children become interested in reading and learning.
Noman’s mobile library is a reminder that improving education does not always begin with building something enormous. Sometimes, it starts with one person, a few books and the decision to keep showing up.
By taking stories directly into Lyari’s streets, Kahaani Sawaari creates a space where children can read, listen, imagine and simply enjoy being around books.
For children who may face barriers to formal education, these small encounters can make learning feel possible again.
