About Us

Volunteer

When a Child Reads, She Can Write Her Future

Despite the known benefits of literacy, 175 million young people in low- and lower middle-income countries are unable to read a single sentence. That’s one out of every four children. Without a strong foundation of literacy skills, children are more likely to struggle throughout their education, live in poverty and see their potential hampered. A lack of educational resources, minimal exposure to age-appropriate books, insufficiently trained teachers and overstretched infrastructure prevent students from developing the literacy skills they need to thrive. We work in partnership with local governments to assist schools to address these challenges and ensure students have what they need to develop strong literacy skills and a habit of reading.

Whether or not a girl stays in school has an astounding effect on not only her quality of life, but on her future family’s as well. For a girl in one the most underserved parts of the world, staying in school longer means she is more likely to build a smaller and healthier family, lower her probability of contracting HIV, and earn a higher wage. She is also more likely to marry later and educate her own children — ending the cycle of poverty in one generation. Yes, girls lag behind boys in their completion of secondary school. Out of the 124 million children and young adolescents who are out of school, 52 percent are girls. Thus, our program includes four core components — life skills, mentors, material support, and community engagement, which we implement based on local conditions, individual need and grade level.