Inspired by her passion for reading, Chamya Liyanage is the founder of Read & Return.Co, an initiative that was started with the aim of raising funds to donate school shoes to underprivileged children. While being a graduate in Banking and Finance from Victoria University, Australia, Chamya has elevated ‘Read and Return.Co’ to another dimension as she has encouraged many individuals to read books across the island.

Q Tell us a bit about the initiative ‘Read and Return.Co’

I founded Read & Return. Co in December 2019. It is a not-for-profit venture that sells pre-loved books. It operates on a library-like basis, where a reader can purchase a book, read and then return it to us. When the book is returned, the reader receives a 50% refund. This is an incentive for the youth to pick up reading as well as to ensure that books are returned and are read by more people. Our packaging is eco–friendly, with the books wrapped in old newspapers with goninool (jute ribbon) with a tag made from recycled paper.

The venture was started with the aim of raising funds to donate school shoes for underprivileged children through its charity project “Read for Shoes” of which we have already completed two phases. Alongside this project, we kick-started another charity project: “Project Athwela” to donate books for the libraries in underprivileged schools. Over the past two years, we were able to reach pre-loved book readers not just from Colombo but from all over the island including Puttalam, Kandy, Matale, etc.

Q What is the mission and vision of ‘Read and Return.Co’?

Vision – To ensure that every child in Sri Lanka has access to an equitable education leading way to a brighter future.

Mission – To bring together like-minded individuals with a passion for reading to ensure that all children in Sri Lanka have access to basic school supplies and facilities that enhance their educational experience allowing them to break out from the cycle of poverty.

Q What inspired you to start this initiative?

I have always wanted to start a venture of my own and helping those in need was a value that my parents instilled in me. Seeing a bookmark that carried the concept of reading and returning books and an Instagram post about sharing books after you read them, made me realise that I can combine my passion for books with being an entrepreneur. The fact that a lot of people mentioned how they used to read a lot as a child but not anymore, was another inspiration to start Read & Return.Co.

Q Tell us about some of the donations you have made to schools & groups

In April 2021, we donated 27 pairs of shoes to children in a primary school at Mirigama, completing the first phase of “Read for Shoes.” The second phase of the project was carried out by donating 11 pairs of school shoes for a school at Keselwatta. In total over the past two years, we have raised LKR 55,000.00 and donated 38 pairs of shoes for underprivileged children.

In December 2021, we also carried out a new charity project under Read & Return. Co called Project Athwela. where we collected books from well-wishers and donated over 400 books to a school in Bandarawela. At the moment, we are collaborating with Rocco’s (Italian Restaurant) to donate 200 books to a library in the  Western Province. If you are interested in being a part of this project, you can drop off brand new books for children aged between 5 and 10 at Rocco’s Nawala or Gregory’s Road, Colombo.

Q How successful has the initiative been thus far?

I believe the initiative has been very successful in terms of selling books, initiating charity projects, and garnering the support of the public through social media pages.

Through the posts on the Instagram page, we have been able to interact with well-renowned authors like Robin Sharma, Jo Watson, Ru Freeman, Tony Parson, and personalities like Dr. Asha De Vos.

Q What does reading mean to you?

Reading has been a hobby that I picked up from my elder sister. Ever since reading has been an activity that helped me relax and escape to a different world. 

I can confidently attribute my creativity and language skills to all the reading I have done over the years.  It has also been a hobby that helped me start a venture of my own, connecting me to so many like-minded individuals and allowing me to help those around me.

Q What do you think of the current state of library facilities in Sri Lanka?

It might come as a surprise to some but not all libraries in Sri Lanka are the same as those in the urban and more leading cities in the country. For instance, the school in Bandarawela to which we donated books has been around for 70 years but didn’t have a library as yet. The room allocated for reading was small, dingy with not enough light and it was heartbreaking to realise just how much we take for granted. There were students who thanked us for the books because they never had books that they liked to read in the library. For many children, reading is a habit that is fostered through the school library and there are many schools without proper libraries, which hinder a child’s future prospects and in turn the country’s progress.

Q How can we encourage more of the younger generation to read books?

Reading is said to be a habit that starts at a young age so it’s always best to lead by example. Parents and elders make sure to read with your children and younger siblings. If they don’t seem to be interested, buy them books that they would like to read. It’s also important to make sure that you allow them to read what they like and not what you would like for them to read. After all, they say, if you don’t like to read you probably haven’t found the right book yet. Setting daily reading goals and being a part of their reading journey, will certainly encourage them to read more. 

Q What is next for Read and Return.Co?

I would like to take on board a few volunteers who would contribute to the venture with a passion so that we can expand to cities like Kandy and Galle. Our long-term goal is to register Read & Return. Co is a non–profit organisation that makes a positive change for the youth of Sri Lanka.

By TIranya Ranasinghe