Zanir Habib, a high school sophomore in Euless, Texas, has actively volunteered with Partnership Walk in Dallas for several years, but when he read about an Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) project in Kyrgyzstan, he decided to take that involvement to another level.

Habib describes how he was inspired by the blog about a Reading program in Kyrgyz Republic, which “publishes books for kids in Kyrgyz, and promotes reading with mini-libraries that move with kids and their families during the year. It creates a love of reading.”

The story inspired him and several other AKF USA Youth Ambassador volunteers to do something similar to promote reading culture right in Texas, at a school that needed help.

“We wanted to make an impact in literacy,” says Habib. “It’s a year-long project that we planned with Barron Elementary School.” The first phase is a mural in the school library to make the environment where children read fun and stimulating books; the second involves recording audio books that the Barron students can check out from the library; and the third phase will create an outdoor learning center.

The Youth Ambassadors spoke with the school’s principal, Michelle Loper, and she warmed to the proposal. In the library’s amphitheatre, where teachers read stories to the young students, the ambassadors wanted to spur kids’ imaginations. “It would draw kids to the library and create a love of reading.”

More broadly, Habib adds, the Youth Ambassadors aim “to create awareness of people living in poverty.”

With guidance from AKF volunteer and educator Dr. Miriam Ezzani, they began with the mural. The youth ambassadors chose the mural’s theme of Texas wildlife, Habib says, to promote both science and reading. He credits fellow ambassador Alikhan Karimi with bringing the theme to life in sketches.

An art consultant, Nabila Daredia, worked with them on design and how to adapt those sketches to mural size. Daredia received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree this year from Maryland Institute College of Art, and has worked with after-school programs since graduation. She sat down with the ambassador artists and the principal and reviewed the plan.

The library wall before the new mural, and after.

“This mirrors what AKF does on a global scale,” notes Daredia. She showed how to adapt their drawings to a mural-scale vision. She found the mural project well suited to the goal, adding, “Art is a great avenue for building critical thinking skills.”

The ambassadors called paint stores to see about getting materials. “We got lucky and Sherwin-Williams gave enough paint to paint the whole mural,” says Habib.

The painting took place during teachers’ professional preparation days in August before students came back. Teachers were coming in and out of the library, Habib recalls.

“The principal, teachers and staff were blown away by the results,” Daredia says. “That gave the ambassadors a huge boost of confidence.” They are already planning their second phase.