Esmat Campaign Benefits Indigenous School In The District Of Tocantínia With Almost 200 Books

Between June and July this year, the Superior School of the Judges of the State of Tocantins (Esmat) carried out the campaign on Read among trees: education that blooms, focusing on the collection of books for the library of the Xerente Warã Indigenous High School Center, located in the municipality of Tocantínia-TO. The initiative mobilized the community of the Judiciary of the state of Tocantins and resulted in the donation of 192 literary works, aimed at strengthening the reading training and the access to literature among students of the Akwapfte-Xerente ethnic group.

The official delivery was held on Wednesday morning (September 3rd), in a ceremony organized at the school itself, which serves 317 students from the 6th to the 9th grade, as well as the traditional High School and the technical course in Informatics. The moment was marked by cultural manifestations and speeches of local leaders.

Participating in the ceremony were Professor Armando Sõpre Xerente, director of the unit; Edite Smikidi Xerente, pedagogical coordinator; Alielson Xerente, president of the Student Union; and Professor Noemi Xerente – elder, chief, midwife and head of the library of the school. All the speeches were first given in the original language and then in Portuguese, as a way of reaffirming the cultural identity of the Akwē-Xerente people.

In addition to the books, Esmat also donated an air conditioner in good condition for the library, extending the comfort of the reading space. During the event, items such as clothes, caps and personal hygiene products were given to the students.

The programming included cultural performances, with emphasis on the Dance of Maracá, traditional expression of gratitude of the Xerente people, and a musical presentation conducted by students of the school.

The campaign is part of the set of social responsibility actions of Esmat, which has been developing initiatives to encourage reading for years, aimed at traditional communities, public schools and prison units in the state of Tocantins. The civil server Silvania Olortegui, librarian of Esmat, is responsible for the idealization, articulation and monitoring of actions that focus on stimulating reading from childhood and valuing knowledge as a tool for social transformation.