Meet Martín Murillo, the unsuspecting hero changing lives through reading, pushing his mobile library cart to the deliver books along Colombia’s coast.
“This all comes from my love for reading, and my desire to contribute to society. With this cart, my life’s work, I can contribute,” Martin told Telecarbie in the interview below.
Seventeen years ago, Martín supported himself by selling water and soft drinks in Cartagena. One day, a stranger spotted him reading a novel The Double, and promised that he would bring him more books.
That simple act inspired a friendship between Martin and the stranger, who began bringing Martín more books and encouraged him to attend literary events and festivals.
Within four years, Martín had transformed the cart he used to sell water and sodas into a rolling library: La Carreta Literaria.
Through sponsorships, Martín’s project has grown. He can be spotted in Colombia’s most isolated parts (including the Guajira Desert, home to numerous Wayuu Indigenous Reservations) delivering books to children and inspiring them to read.
Unfazed by COVID19, Martín’s project has quickly adapted. Martin’s frequently reads children’s stories on his YouTube channel, twitter, instagram and his project’s website.
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