Our workforce: Room to Read’s workforce includes a geographically representative and diverse group of staff, partners, board members, volunteers and ambassadors, all actively working to advance our mission. Our programming: Since 2000, Room to Read has reached 29 countries and benefited 60.3 million children cumulatively.1 1Children benefited numbers reflect children who benefit through any of our programmatic activities within our Literacy Portfolio and Gender Equality Portfolio.
Our Reach
2025 Annual Report
From our CEO
Education begins in moments we all recognize: the weight of a book in a child’s hands, the pride of reading a sentence aloud, the quiet confidence that grows when learning feels possible. These moments are small, but their power is vast. They shape how children see themselves and the world they believe they can build.
Throughout my 17 years at Room to Read, I’ve seen how progress can stall without sustained support. Moments of possibility require systems strong enough to support them. As CEO, I feel a deep responsibility to ensure these moments don’t depend on chance but are protected by design and elevated with intention.
From our Global Board Chair
Grounded in a career evaluating growth, scale and operational strength, I am deeply aware that the most meaningful progress is built over time and made possible by dedication to continuous learning and growth. These principles are foundational to my approach as an investor; I assess opportunities based on their demonstrated capacity to endure and expand. When I was first introduced to Room to Read over a decade ago, it was clear to me that its programming met those criteria in an effort to pursue long-term, positive change. Demonstrated through patience, discipline and an unwavering focus on results, Room to Read consistently yields the maximum return of every dollar, stretching every cent to contribute to improved learning outcomes for children.
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Room to Read combines rigorous evaluation of program effectiveness with comprehensive monitoring of reach and implementation to ensure every investment drives measurable outcomes for children. As of January 2026, preliminary 2025 results show:Our Results
16.5MM children benefited in 2025, with 55MM children benefited cumulatively
Children in Room to Read programs read up to 2.5 times faster and answer up to 2.6 more comprehension questions than peers in comparison schools
45.7MM books distributed and 5,166 original and adapted children’s literature titles published cumulatively
*Children benefited through Gender Equality Portfolio (GEP) participate in a range of different types of programming based on our core competencies, including life skills and content knowledge development as well as mentorship.
615,724 adolescents benefited in 2025, with 4.4MM adolescents benefited cumulatively
32,967 adolescents have graduated secondary school school through our comprehensive Girls’ Education Program cumulatively, including 4,598 in 2025
Over 90 percent of girls enrolled in our Girls’ Education Program advance to the next grade and more than 80 percent secure work or enroll in tertiary education
Room to Read develops and implements our programming based on our four distinct core competencies. As you scroll through this report, you’ll see how each competency translated into tangible results in 2025, from measurable gains in learning to expanded access for millions of children, and how these strengths position us to deepen our impact in the years ahead.Our Successes
In the rush to address global teacher shortages ― an estimated 44 million additional teachers are needed by 2030 to achieve universal education ― many educators are entering classrooms underprepared and under-resourced. To help close this gap, Room to Read strengthens the skills of teachers, administrators, coaches, and community members to improve how students learn. In 2025, we expanded efforts to prepare educators and government partners to nurture foundational learning, while strengthening locally led trainings and resources to sustain quality teaching practices. Educator Training and Coaching
In Vietnam, Room to Read launched a pilot program to support pre-primary learners who may face disadvantages when they enter formal schooling. The pilot focuses on young children from ethnic minority communities who speak mother tongue languages at home, training educators to help them develop foundational Vietnamese language skills before Grade 1, so they are prepared to learn in the language of instruction.
In Laos, Room to Read partnered with Luang Prabang Teacher Training College to introduce a course that prepares future teachers in effective library design and management practices; the course is expected to become a formal academic subject within the college’s education degree program.
Room to Read is among a select group of partners supporting the development of pre-service training materials for future educators in Cambodia. We are contributing expertise in library design and management, as well as life skills education, to help develop a course for teacher trainees. The course will be delivered at select teacher training colleges and is designed to equip primary grade educators with evidence-based instructional strategies to foster literacy engagement and effectively manage school libraries. By strengthening teaching practices before educators enter the classroom, Room to Read is helping build a stronger foundation for literacy instruction nationwide.
Room to Read is the only non-governmental organization invited to contribute to the revision of Bangladesh’s national teacher training curriculum. This opportunity enables the integration of evidence-based reading instruction and effective classroom library practices into the preparation of educators nationwide. Room to Read will also support the rollout of the revised curriculum by partnering with teacher training centers to deliver trainings, helping embed these practices within the national system.
Drawing on our distinct experience in life skills education and mentoring, Room to Read is serving as a key partner in Sri Lanka’s government-led initiative to strengthen Career Guidance & Counseling Centers across secondary schools nationwide. In 2025, we supported the training of 100 educators across five provinces, strengthening their capacity to deliver life skills education and mentorship to adolescents. A selection of educators from this initial cohort will join the Ministry of Education’s National Master Trainer program in 2026, contributing to educator capacity building across all nine provinces. Through this partnership model, Room to Read is helping to build a sustainable, government-led system to expand access to life skills and mentorship for adolescents nationwide.
Room to Read extends special recognition to our generous institutional supporters, including those who contributed more than US$50,000 in 2025, and those who offered vital in-kind donations. We are grateful for the global community of dedicated individuals who contribute their time, expertise and energy to advance Room to Read’s mission.to ensure Room to Read can continue to nurture foundational learning skills in all children. Our progress in 2025 was catalyzed by the commitment of our esteemed global and regional board members, advocates, ambassadors and volunteer leaders. 
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Our 2025 audited financials are forthcoming and will be posted to our financials page once finalized. Financial integrity, transparency and accountability are central to Room to Read’s values. Our work is made possible by the generosity of our global partners and supporters, and we are deeply committed to stewarding those resources responsibly and reporting transparently on how funds are used. 2025 Financials
We also maintain administrative costs below industry averages to prioritize program investment. At least 85 cents of every dollar spent directly supports delivery of our literacy and gender equality programming.
