Kalimat Foundation’s collaboration with artist eL Seed turns a Yas Mall pop-up into a creative literacy initiative supporting children’s access to books

What if buying a piece of art-inspired stationery or fashion could help another child discover a book?

That is the idea behind a collaboration between the Kalimat Foundation and French-Tunisian artist eL Seed, which is bringing together art, Arabic calligraphy and children’s literacy at a pop-up in Abu Dhabi.

Running at Tryano, Yas Mall, until August 30, the collaboration features a collection of fashion, stationery and lifestyle products inspired by eL Seed’s distinctive “calligraffiti” style, which combines Arabic calligraphy with contemporary street art.

More importantly for young readers, proceeds from the collection support the Kalimat Foundation’s Pledge a Library initiative, with a particular focus on providing Arabic books and learning resources to children in Tunisia.

Turning reading into a shared experience

The initiative recently brought 25 children and their families together at Tryano for an afternoon built around storytelling, creativity and giving.

Author and storyteller Samya Ayesh opened the session with a conversation about encouraging children to read in Arabic, followed by an interactive reading of the children’s book Aashat Al-Sheen.

Families also had the opportunity to personalise selected pieces from the eL Seed collection, adding a creative element to the experience.

But one activity was designed to show children how their own participation could have an impact beyond the event.

A library filled one book at a time

Called “Jars of Joy,” the activity began with an empty portable library from the Kalimat Foundation.

As families purchased items from the collaboration, each purchase symbolically sponsored a book for a child in need. Participating children received a book, craft kit and specially designed bookmark featuring a miniature hanging jar.

They decorated their bookmarks and wrote personal messages for another child before placing the notes inside the miniature jars. The bookmarks were then added to donated books, which were placed inside the portable library.

By the end of the afternoon, the empty shelves had been filled with books carrying handwritten messages from one child to another.

The completed library will now be donated to one of the Foundation’s beneficiary communities, taking with it not only books and learning resources, but also the personal messages created by the children who helped fill its shelves.

Where art meets literacy

For the Kalimat Foundation, the partnership reflects how creative collaborations can help bring literacy initiatives closer to families and the wider community.

“Our partnership with eL Seed brings together art, Arabic language, literacy and giving,” said Amna Al Mazmi, Director of Kalimat Foundation. “Our collaboration with Tryano creates an important platform to bring that purpose closer to families and the wider community.”

The Foundation works to expand access to books and knowledge, promote Arabic reading and create inclusive reading opportunities for children and communities with limited access to literature. Its initiatives include Pledge a Library and Ara, which supports underserved and vulnerable communities as well as children who require accessible reading formats.

The Kalimat Foundation x eL Seed collaboration was first unveiled in November 2025 in the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Chairperson of Kalimat Foundation.

The pop-up continues at Tryano, Yas Mall, until August 30, while the collection is also available through the Kalimat Foundation website.

For families, the initiative offers a simple lesson worth sharing with children: a love of reading can be passed from one child to another, and even a small act can help put a book into the hands of someone who needs it.