Bookworm Foundation

Bookworm Foundation is a non-governmental, not-for-profit, and non-religious organisation based in Phrao District, Chiang Mai Province in the north of Thailand, committed to promoting joy of reading and learning through various activities including mobile library services to children and adults both with and without disabilities in rural areas of the district. 

The organisation was founded in Jan. 2010 by Yoshimi Horiuchi, and has been officially registered as foundation under Thai government with registration number Co Mo 610. We currently conduct activities in two areas: Phrao District, Chiangmai Province and Bangkok. 

Bookworm History

In early 2000’s…

Yoshimi Horiuchi, a blind bookaholic from Japan, was traveling round Thailand as a university student. She visited numerous villages and disability related organizations throughout the country and realized that people with or without disabilities have very limited access to information and reading materials due to reasons such as the high cost of books and the lack of libraries especially in rural areas.

Though Yoshimi spoke a bit more than basic Thai at this point, she had little idea how to set up such a project from scratch. So in 2009, she went to Kanthari International, an unconventional training course for social changemakers located in South India. Upon completion of the course at the end of the year, she initiated projects that provide means to connect books to people, and people to books with a handful of knowledge, little experience, and tons of passion!

In the beginning, she recruited a group of volunteers to conduct fun reading activities around Bangkok. Soon she has come to realise that the headquarter of the project must be in the countryside because there were already several organisations working in the same field in Bangkok area. She moved the centre of the project to Phrao, Chiang Mai with the introduction from Warm heart Foundation in 2011.

In the beginning of 2012, Yoshimi started the ongoing projects in the form of mobile library activities around Warm Heart Foundation with the first paid staff. Later that year, Sunshine Kids Centre and Rang Mai Library were opened, followed by Little Smiles Centre in 2015.

What We Do Now

Most of library and literacy projects take place in Phrao District, Chiang Mai Province in the north, and Noon Noon Books project is mainly based in Bangkok. Bookworm focuses on Northern Thailand. Besides, we conduct fundraising and promotional activities around Bangkok area to support our projects. For more detail, please visit our Projects page.

Northern Thailand: Chiangmai Province and surrounding area

Here we have been conducting activities on a permanent basis since 2012. Yoshi was introduced to this community by Warm Heart Foundation which is a community development organization who also work in Phrao District. 

Activities in this region include:

◦ Rang Mai Library: a library with an ever increasing store of books and dvds for rental by residents of Phrao District and the surrounding communities. The library is also a wifi hub, activity area and local hang out for children and teenagers. 

◦ Bookworm Caravan: a mobile library on a modified pickup truck for school children and adults throughout Phrao District, Chiang Mai Province. 

◦ Sunshine Kids Center (Preparatory school for Akha and Lahu tribe children): a pre-primary school on the mountain for children from Akha and Lahu tribes in Sip-lang village, Wiang-pa-pao District, Chiang Rai Province. Nalae teaches basic literacy and maths 5 days per week to children of ages between 2 to 6 years old. 

◦ Little Smiles Centre (Preparatory school for Lisu tribe children): a pre-primary school in a valley for children mainly from Lisu tribes in Mae Waen Noi Village, Mae Waen Subdistrict, Phrao District, Chiang Mai Province. Kung and Pim teaches basic literacy and maths 5 days per week to children of ages between 2 to 4 years old. 

Central Thailand: Around Bangkok

Noon Noon Books project as well as administrative and PR-related work are conducted in this area. Activities with volunteer staff, such as those listed below, are also organized here: 

◦ Noon Noon Books: We work with dozens of volunteers with different nationalities to produce our original picture books that can be enjoyed by children and adults with and without disabilities. Our books are fully illustrated with Braille and large print text, and almost every page has hand-crafted touch-and-feel features that can be enjoyed by eyes and hands.

◦ Fundraising: We conduct various activities to raise funds (e.g. book bazaar, readathon).

◦ Media coverage: We take interviews from local, national and international media to raise awareness towards the public.

Decades later, we hope that Rang Mai library will have grown up to be one of the cultural centres in Phrao. On larger scale, we envision that there will be thousands of small libraries like ours throughout the country, offering outreach services like our Bookworm Caravan. Like choosing your favourite ice-cream from a local ice-cream man’s truck, children and adults can come and select their favorite books at their doorstep.