Meet Nusrat, the Book Captain: A Protagonist in WFP Bangladesh's Chapters of Change

In the heart Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, lives Nusrat, an enthusiastic secondary school student who loves to get lost in the magical world of books. Despite the financial constraints of her family, Nusrat's world is rich with the adventures found in the pages of her beloved storybooks – thanks to her role as the book captain.

How it began

Nusrat's journey as a “Book Captain” began with the innovative addition to the national school feeding programme, supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) and Room to Read. The ‘Book Captains’ imitative, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, aims to foster literacy in schools. It includes teacher training, student tracking, provision of learning materials, and organizing educational events, all to create a sustainable environment for learning.

Each classroom selects two Book Captains– a girl and a boy each – who are trained to manage the classroom library, encouraging their peers to dive into the world of reading and writing.

Nusrat’s Journey

Two years have passed since Nusrat graduated from primary school and she is now studying at a secondary school in the same town. A former book captain, she was excited to attend the onboarding of 12 Book Captains at the Sonarpara Primary School in the Ukhiya subdistrict of Cox’s Bazar.

Life hasn't been easy for Nusrat. The ongoing food crisis and the soaring inflation have further deepened her family’s financial vulnerabilities - prices of daily essentials have gone up while her family’s income levels have dropped. These hardships have also hit her coastal community, prone to cyclones and floods, particularly hard.

However, Nusrat's dedication to reading and her role as a Book Captain struck a chord with her parents, reinforcing their decision to keep her in school despite financial difficulties, thus also challenging the traditional belief that education is reserved for boys.

A library of dreams

“When the classroom library was set up in my school, all of us did our best to help out. We were excited to learn about our roles as Book Captains. It was as if we were a special team in the school helping friends find storybooks from the library,” ecstatic Nusrat said of her experience.

Ghost stories, fairy tales, and animal stories were Nusrat’s favorites. “I still remember the book named Porir Ball Khela which was about fairies playing a game of football!

With encouragement from her teachers alike and in her role as a Book Captain, Nusrat believes her reading skills have improved. “I learned to read and write more clearly and faster. This helps me even today,” she said.

Though Nusrat's secondary school lacks a library, she continues her literary journey through books from her younger sister's McGovern-Dole supported school. As she helps her sister navigate new words, Nusrat fondly recalls her days as a Book Captain, finding joy in her sister's growing love for reading.

Impact beyond books

Over the past three years, WFP has been partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program in support of Bangladesh’s national school feeding programme in Ukhiya and Kutubdia sub-districts of Cox’s Bazar.

The partnership between WFP and USDA goes beyond providing fortified biscuits as morning snacks- it encompasses a holistic approach to enhancing children's literacy, health, and nutrition. This initiative has sparked significant improvements, evident in the leap in school attendance from 76% post-COVID in 2021 to 84%, alongside notable advancements in reading skills and student nutrition.

As for Nusrat, with her endearing love for reading, she will continue to learn and thrive. And her story remains as one of hope and change, a testament to the transformative power of learning.