Reading Challenge 2025
Reading has the power to unlock imagination, build lifelong skills, and open doors to opportunity.
Reading has the power to unlock imagination, build lifelong skills, and open doors to opportunity.
When you take the Make Room to Read Challenge, you’re joining a global movement to create a more literate, equitable world—one page at a time. Every child deserves the chance to learn, dream, and thrive. Yet, 7 out of 10 children in low- and middle-income countries can’t read by age 10—a crisis that limits futures and potential. Economic instability, climate disasters, and inadequate educational resources further widen the gap. But there’s hope. With Room to Read’s support, schools become beacons of opportunity. Educators are trained, books are accessible, and children develop a lifelong love for reading. These readers grow into empowered individuals, equipped to create a brighter future for themselves and their communities. With the Make Room to Read Challenge, YOU can help engage more children around the world in reading, inspiring a generation of lifelong learners. When you Make Room to Read, you will be joining our story to ensure every child can become the author of their own extraordinary future. If you haven't already, take the pledge to read 20 minutes daily from September 1-15 now!
Bring our community together and shine a spotlight on the importance of literacy.
Take your love of literacy one step further and consider hosting an event to bring your community together!
- Create a sense of community with a Silent Reading Party. Gather in bars, cafes, bookstores, libraries or online to read together in quiet camaraderie. (You may choose to charge an admission fee to donate to Room to Read.
- Bring stories to life in person or through social media by reading to colleagues, children, or community members through Read-Aloud Sessions.
- Build and stock a community lending library.
- Read a book with a group of friends or colleagues and host a meal related to the book while you discuss.
- Host a book drive and donate books to local shelters or classrooms.
While you're shining a spotlight on the issue of illiteracy, you might as well raise funds to fight against it!
- Read-a-Thons – Partner with a local school to organize a reading challenge where students are “sponsored” to read books, with funds supporting Room to Read’s Literacy Program.
- Book Swaps – Share, swap and recommend favorite books while raising funds. A small donation to join the swap can provide books for children in Room to Read libraries.
- Host a Bevies for Books happy hour event where a portion of each drink sold will go toward Room to Read’s literacy initiatives.
- Host a bake sale and donate the proceeds to Room to Read. You may even choose to make the baked goods literacy-themed, like Peeta's Cheesy Buns or Butterbeer Cupcakes. Or go in a different direction with literacy puns and make tasty treats like Lord of the Pies, Don-ut Quixote, or Brave New Swirled Brownies.
- Host a trivia event focused on books, authors or word games. Charge entry or offer "lifelines" for a donation (e.g. phone a friend for $5).
- Connect your reading activity with Room to Read's Fill Every Shelf campaign and double your fundraising results!
More on Literacy
A journey from loss to literacy: Hafiz’s story and the rise of reading corners in Lebanon
Nivrita Durgvanshi, Associate Director, Literacy Portfolio
