From Language House to children's book: the story of Nanda

At the Language House and Writing Circle at My Region Library in Kerkrade, people come together to learn, read and improve their language. One of them is Nanda, who inspires with her story and enthusiasm. What started as a way to learn Dutch grew into a love of writing and eventually into her own children's book "Water, the Water Dragonfly and His Great Adventure.

Language House at the library

Nanda is from Bali and has been living in the Netherlands for three years now. In addition to learning the Dutch language, she is training to be a watchmaker and has another great passion: writing stories. When Nanda came to live in Kerkrade, she soon visited the library. "There I saw a poster of the Language House," she says. "I immediately thought: that's the perfect place to learn better Dutch. I wanted to improve my language so I could talk and connect better with other people." Since then, she has been active at the Language House and the Writing Circle, where she works with other participants on her language skills. "That's also how I came into contact with my language coaches, Krista and Jessie. They continue to help me learn the language."

Stories in the Writing Circle

Twice a month, the Writing Circle meets at the library. "We write stories together" explains Nanda. "During the meetings, I discovered my passion for writing. Better late than never," she laughs. "One of the assignments was to write a short story. That's how I came up with the idea for my children's book. During my daily walks at Erenstein Castle, I often saw water dragonflies in the pond. That became my inspiration for the story."

The idea grew into an actual booklet when she read the story aloud during an open stage at the library. "The response was very enthusiastic. The audience liked it so much that I decided to turn it into a real booklet, with text and my own illustrations."

Through Taalhuis coordinator Mariëlle, she then came into contact with Gemeente Kerkrade. During the Week of Reading and Writing, she read the children's book at Kids & Coffee and handed the book to Alderman Schlangen. "The Alderman was very enthusiastic about my story and my development. That made me proud."

Positive message

With her book, Nanda wants to convey a positive message. "I want to show that it is good to be yourself and be proud of who you are, with all your talents and differences. I also show the importance of friendship, positivity and supporting each other. The story is meant to show children that everyone is unique and that it is okay to be different.

Reading, learning and inspiration

For Nanda, reading is an important form of relaxation. "It gives me inspiration and helps me learn the language. When you read and write, you remember more. That's why I think it's important for children to enjoy reading early. You understand the world better and discover new things." People who struggle with reading and writing she recommends starting with small steps. "Start small. Choose something you like, then you'll naturally have fun and it will get better and better. Small steps really help."

Future Plan

She is currently working on a new story about a boy who can talk to animals. His best friend is a spider and together they have an exciting adventure. "Besides animals, travel also inspires me. I like to use places from my own life in my stories, so the stories are realistic and recognizable for children. But of course I can't reveal everything yet."

Her booklet "Water, the water dragonfly and his great adventure" is now being printed in cooperation with the municipality. It will be on display in the library on Martin Buber Square and used during meetings of the Language House and Kids & Coffee."

With a smile, Nanda concludes, "I hope my story inspires others to read, write and keep learning. Because with small steps you can achieve something very beautiful. Just look at me!"

As a municipality, together with partners such as the library, we are actively committed to strengthening the basic skills of residents. This is not only about language, but also about reading pleasure, self-confidence and participation in society. Nanda's story shows what this commitment means in practice: people get the chance to learn, develop and participate more fully. By making such personal stories visible, we want to show what learning can bring: new opportunities, more connection and pride in what you can achieve. This approach is part of the broader Basic Skills Kerkrade program, in which residents are encouraged in various ways to continue to learn and grow.

Want to learn more about basic skills in Kerkrade? Check out our website www.kerkrade.nl/hulp-bij-basisvaardigheden or the My Zone Library website www.mijnstreekbibliotheek.nl/hulpenleren.html.