Room to Read's 25th Anniversary London Gala Benefits 24,000 Children and Highlights Growth of Africa Programming
October 01, 2025
Attendees Included Marley Dias, Yinka Ilori MBE, John Ridding, Dr. Geetha Murali and Prominent Members of the Community
Annual event brought together finance, consumer, entertainment, and media industries to celebrate the transformative power of education and raise investments to benefit 24,000 children facing deep educational inequities through Room to Read’s literacy and gender equality programmes.
(Credit: Getty Images for Room to Read)
London, UK — Room to Read,
a global education nonprofit nurturing foundational learning skills in children, held its annual London Gala on September 30 at The Science Museum - bringing together more than 160 guests to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the organisation. The evening celebrated critical supporters across the UK who have played pivotal roles in the growth of Room to Read over the past quarter-century. Since its founding in 2000, Room to Read has invested more than US$1 billion into global education and benefited over 52 million children worldwide by developing children’s literacy and life skills.
The milestone event – themed “THE ROOM: Where every corner offers the promise of a better future” – featured inspiring stories, a live fundraising auction, and powerful performances by The London Youth Choir. Through the efforts of the evening, raised investments will benefit over 24,000 children around the world through Room to Read’s programming.
In her remarks, Room to Read CEO Dr. Geetha Murali said, “Each of these small hands belongs to a child with a story — a story of wonder, of questions for elders and educators of brilliance scribbled in the margins of notebooks. That’s what we’re here to celebrate. Not just numbers, but names. Not just scale, but stories. A mission born 25 years ago with one radical belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children.”
The event, hosted by Room to Read’s UK Regional Board, recognized long-standing supporters from across the UK, and underscored Room to Read’s growing investment in the Africa region, where one in three youth will reside by 2050.
Speakers included Dr. Geetha Murali, Room to Read CEO; Collins Munene, Regional Director for Africa, Room to Read; Laurie McMahon, Chief Development and Communications Officer, Room to Read, and John Lindfors, Room to Read Global Board Chair and Co-founder and Managing Partner, DST Global. Guests included prominent members of the community and supporters from across the globe, including Marley Dias, Yinka Ilori MBE, John Ridding, Jada Sezer, and more.
Event photos are available here.
CONTACT:
Anoushka Yousuf, SSM&L
+44 (0) 7733326731
ABOUT ROOM TO READ:
Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read develops children’s foundational literacy skills, as well as life skills that promote gender equality. As a leading implementer, Room to Read nurtures these essential skills in children by training and coaching educators, creating quality learning materials and spaces, and strengthening education systems – all while honouring the dignity of every child. We develop and deliver evidence-based materials and approaches directly and with partners. We are a valuable partner of choice for government, other system and program partners as well as investors focused on education. Committed to accelerating learning outcomes for more children, more quickly, we have benefited 52 million children across 29 countries. By the end of 2027, we aim to double the number of children and communities we support each year. Room to Read envisions a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality, where all children have room to read, learn and grow. Visit us at www.roomtoread.org.
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