What We Do: Cartoonize Communities
We’re the go-to “cartoonizers” in the humanitarian field.
We create representation through cartoonization for displaced communities in need of cultural preservation and informal resources. We sell our own products, offer teacher trainings, and work as education consultants to design custom projects for organizations and companies.
Our simple approach allows us to dip our toes into an endless pool of topics, reaching both literate and illiterate learners in a culturally sensitive way.
Why We Do It
Representation
for the world’s most marginalized communities
Preservation
for ethnic minority language and culture
Creation
of community-based informal learning
Every project is designed to be contextualized to any community in the world, making our projects easily expandable.
Projects are designed based on the immediate needs in focus communities.
Picture Dictionaries
Rohingya, Afghan, USA
Culturally sensitive, inclusive Picture Dictionaries & Teacher Guides to represent refugee and immigrant communities. Designed to be used by anyone, literate or illiterate, at home or at school.
Coloring Books
Afghan, Rohingya, Ukrainian, Bangla, Syrian
Culturally sensitive, inclusive coloring books designed to represent the refugees’ home countries to give them a sense of familiarity & representation. Great resource to aid in the trauma-healing process.
Girls' Books
Rohingya, Afghan
Culturally sensitive women’s health books tailored for girls living in vulnerable communities. Designed to introduce female-sensitive conversations and promote healthy lifestyle changes.
New book release!
For the Girls: Afghan Version
A contextualized approach to women’s health for refugees
Every child deserves education wherever they come from. I really love how Books Unbound is trying to relate their culture and daily activities in the form of art. This supports children so they realize and learn their own culture.
– Artist | Indonesia
I cannot express how grateful we are towards the industrious and compassionate team behind Books Unbound – for its amazing and creative works undertaken to make the lives of the Rohingya refugees better and hopeful. Thank you a million times.
– Rohingya human rights activist | Ireland
One mum had tears in her eyes, thanking us for the colouring books for her children. The books have been wonderful for helping the children feel seen. We should all recognize ourselves in art and literature. The books have been a wonderful way to help the children positively reflect on their past and their future.
— Educator at Rochdale Borough Council, United Kingdom
This picture dictionary will help them to understand and improve their culture in better ways. Students enjoy the cartoons so much. It’s a creative learning tool and would be a very good tool for students with disabilities.
– Rohingya teacher | Bangladesh
What [Books Unbound] is doing is so awesome. They are educating children with their books but educating them while staying in their culture and learning their culture. If only we could do that for every culture that would be so awesome!
– Student | University of Colorado
We want more books and programs like this. I do physical activity at least 60 minutes a day since I learnt it from this program.
– Rohingya student, Girls’ Program | Bangladesh
I’m beyond grateful for the resources that Books Unbound has created! Having a book with English and Dari is so helpful! The kids are also so intrigued to see their own culture represented, especially now that they are in a new country for refuge. Thank you for all of your hard work, Books Unbound!
– Volunteer | Arizona, USA
Our girls LOVE the Books Unbound curriculum. Loving the continued programming and cannot wait for the partnership to expand.
– Maiya School | Bangladesh
This picture dictionary gives me so much confidence in my ability to make good sense of my own thoughts and feelings regarding my cultural identity. The most important specialty of this book is that it’s based on my culture. Thank you Books Unbound for blessing me with this beautiful piece of creative book.
– Rohingya student | Bangladesh
Books Unbound reaches out to educate refugees that are stuck in the “in-between.” In these refugee camps, lots of cultural knowledge is lost or forgotten, such as languages, certain practices, etc. But Books Unbound’s method of education is like a middle ground.
– Student | University of Colorado
This is the first book which is ever written by putting our cultural characteristics. For this reason I can easily understand the meaning of the words.
– Rohingya student | Bangladesh
This is the first time I enjoyed my class a lot. I like this book very much. Thank you so much to Books Unbound. I learned so many new things from today’s topics.
– Rohingya student | Bangladesh
This is the first time I heard about healthy and unhealthy food. I don’t think no one knows it in our community who haven’t taken this program. Our community usually eat betelnut too much but we don’t know it’s unhealthy. I will try to share it with my friends and family members and I think everyone should take this program to aware of their health and stay healthy.
– Rohingya student | Bangladesh
Rohingya women in the World’s Largest Refugee Camp
Check out this feature that highlights Maiya School, one of our partners in Kutupalong, Bangladesh (start at 5:19).
Students at Maiya School are currently using our Girls’ Program in their school. These books were donated to them by the generous support of our donors.
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