HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): A young man in Herat has launched a mobile “Book Courier” initiative, delivering books to homes across the capital and districts of western province— a move welcomed by cultural figures and local officials.
Ghulam Farooq Mahmoodi, a resident of Herat city, invested around 500,000 afghanis to purchase nearly 2,000 books across various fields.
With a fresh approach to the challenge of access to books, he introduced the initiative, now known as “Book Courier”, taking books beyond limited shelves and into neighbourhoods and even remote districts.
Carrying his collection, Mahmoodi delivers books directly to readers. His goal, he says, is simple: “I want to reduce the distance between people and books.”
He believes many people, particularly in remote areas, lack the time or opportunity to visit libraries due to daily commitments— a gap he is striving to fill.
He says the initiative not only promotes a culture reading but also helps him earn a livelihood for his family.
“Keeping the culture of reading alive in a society that, as many say, is increasingly dominated by social media and excessive internet use is difficult,” he added.
Cultural figures in Herat describe the effort as a valuable step towards intellectual growth in society.
Jalil Ahmad Joyanda, a local cultural figure, said: “Any initiative that encourages young people towards books is commendable.”
He urged citizens, particularly the educated class, to support such effort and help expand them across the provincial capital and districts.
Public response also suggests the initiative is on the right path.
Poya Ahmadi, a resident of the province, said with a smile: “The beauty of this work is that the book comes to us — it doesn’t matter where you are in the city, books are accessible.”
He stressed that supporting such young people was an investment in the intellectual development of society.
Officials from the Herat Department of Information and Culture have also backed the initiative.
Mawlawi Abdul Mateen Adil, head of culture and arts at the department, described the Book Courier as an important step in strengthening the culture of reading and emphasised support for youth-led cultural programmes.
At a time when glowing mobile screens have replaced many printed pages, the Book Courier seeks to change that equation — a simple effort on the surface, but one carrying a powerful message: if people cannot reach books, books should reach the people.
kk
