Programs - Overview

Building educational infrastructure in the developing world is not a simple task. Every country offers a unique set of challenges and opportunities, every region has its strengths and weaknesses, every community has its own needs. For this reason, Room to Read employs local teams led by a local director in each country. Our local teams understand the needs of each country and each community. They speak the language, know the customs, and understand what it takes to implement each program successfully. They ensure that our programs are of the highest quality and meet their singular needs.

We have four core programs that provide educational resources to communities throughout the developing world:

  • Reading Room Program - We establish libraries and stock them with local language children's books published by Room to Read, donated English language books, games, furniture - everything that is required to establish a child-friendly learning environment.
  • Local Language Publishing Program - We source new content from local writers and artists and publish high-quality children's books in the local language and in English. These books are then distributed throughout our network of schools and libraries so that children have access to books in their local language and in English.
  • School Room Program - We partner with local communities to build schools so that children can learn in a safe environment.
  • Girls' Education Program - We provide long-term scholarships to girls so they have the opportunity to go to school.

Through our Challenge Grant model, communities co-invest with Room to Read, facilitating the long-term sustainability of our projects after our local teams have moved on to assist other villages.

We also conduct regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure that our programs run effectively and efficiently, and have the best possible impact on children throughout the developing world.

Results to Date

Since our inception in 2000, Room to Read has impacted the lives of over 3.1 million children in the developing world by: (1)

  • Constructing 765 schools
  • Establishing over 7,040 libraries
  • Publishing 327 new local language children's titles representing over 2.8 million books
  • Donating over 2.8 million English language children's books
  • Funding 6,817 long-term girls' scholarships
  • Establishing 179 computer and language labs (2)

(1) Results as of December 31, 2008. Room to Read posts its result numbers quarterly. 
(2) These programs are on hold as of 2009; results are reflective through Q4 2008.