Occasionally, I have attended events that lift my spirits, if only for a brief period. There is still some hope, somewhere, I am led to believe. Otherwise, the regular cycle of social encounters can breed despondency and despair.
And I confess to being so infected by the prevailing sense of gloom that I generally do not take much notice of the silver linings that sometimes become visible. In fact, I had once argued that every silver lining has dark clouds.
Actually, I should have been attending to these silver linings more seriously because my wife Sadiqa is engaged in social development of the kind that is widely commended for more than 25 years. I have refrained from writing about her work due to what I consider to be journalistic ethics. Still, when I am engaged in any discussion about the work of many non-government organisations (NGOs), I boast about the ‘free tuitions’ I get at home.
Anyhow, consider this as a preamble to a brief account of an evening’s engagement last week in Karachi. I am sharing this experience because it turned out to be very interesting. We – my wife and I – were there in the first place because we were invited by Ahmad Shabbar, a valiant social activist and environmentalist who, yes, deals with garbage.
He had been telling us about books that he had salvaged over the years and now he was building a library to house those books. This in itself would be something of its kind – and I was particularly interested because I have a passion for promoting reading habits, and this is all about books. I am also conscious of the fact that libraries are essential building blocks of an intellectual infrastructure that we sorely lack.
Hence, we were invited to the ‘cornerstone setting dedication ceremony’ of the Second Home Library situated in Ra’ana Liaquat Craftsmen Colony (RLCC) in Shah Faisal Colony. The dedication was to Shabbar’s maternal grandmother Qamar Zia Jamali. Some other family connections were also highlighted, but I will limit my observations to the Second Home Library and how it projects the creativity and commitment of a number of civil society activists and professionals.
According to Shabbar, the Second Home Library is a project of his waste management organisation, GarbageCan. The idea had originated in 2019-20, “when we initiated a residential pick-up service under GarbageCan”.
What had happened was that many people began to hand over some books with other trash and recyclable items. Most of those books were in fairly good condition. Shabbar began collecting those books and soon there were over a thousand in his collection.
“Instead of throwing them away or recycling them as mere paper, I decided to develop a library where these books would be housed”, said Shabbar. “We thought it best that the library should be developed in an underserved area”.
Initially, a space was rented in Hijrat Colony in 2021, with the expectation that the kids of the neighbourhood would benefit from it. But there were problems, including the intervention of the Covid 19 pandemic.
Finally, in 2024, the library began to take shape in the Ra’ana Liaquat Public School premises after GarbageCan acquired the gracious support of Kids Bolo and RLCC. The ceremony we attended was the unveiling of the structure of the library and a discourse on the project. I confess to being a little disappointed by the absence of the books salvaged from household garbage.
But, for me, there was ample compensation in getting to know a number of smart young activists who had contributed to the project with their skills and their passion for public service. As Shabbar explained, another idea had emerged after the donor organisations had come together and the land was available. This was that like the books that were salvaged from trash, the structure of the library should also be made of trash – or ‘kabaar’, the scrap that is separated for recycling and with natural materials,
A rather unique structure has taken shape, which they have nicknamed The Earth Pod. The ceremony we attended marked the completion of the library's construction. The design team was present and participated in a panel discussion that included construction expert Syed Iftikhar Haider and architects Shariq Qazi and Fahad Zia. Shabbar, as the mechanical design engineer, moderated the discussion.
They discussed the concept behind the design and the rationale behind selecting materials such as mud, wood, and plastic-core bricks. The guiding principles were to find a balance between environmental, financial and structural sustainability while utilising indigenous wisdom. The library is meant to provide space for books salvaged from trash, but its main distinction is that the building itself is made from trash and natural material. For instance, the use of cement is minimal.
I am unable to describe the structure in any detail, particularly in relation to the context, such as the heat index and carbon footprint. But I was happy to be there. It felt good. I am not aware of what the books were like and if they will be appropriate for the kids and young adults of the area. But the middle-class settlements of Karachi, like Shah Faisal Colony, need libraries and community centres to somewhat improve their quality of life.
Finally, there is always this question of how effective these isolated efforts of our committed activists and well-meaning development experts are in the process of social change. When we look at the big picture, we tend to get depressed. It is this mood that prevails when we look around and confront the rigours of living our lives.
At the same time, we should recognise the silver linings that are there and seek spiritual and emotional nourishment from whatever little achievements are made by those who are striving to make a difference. It was so nice to be in the company of that group of friends and strangers who were there to breathe the fragrance of a structure made, largely, of garbage.
The writer is a senior journalist. He can be reached at: ghazi.karachigmail.com