Room to Read Blog

Guest blog from Financial Times CEO John Ridding: Snapshot from Cambodia

John Ridding, Financial Times CEO and Room to Read Board Member, recently visited our projects in Cambodia and Sri Lanka. In the following guest blog, John shares the memorable evening he had in Siem Reap at the 10 Year Anniversary celebration planned by Room to Read Cambodia.

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The Room to Read tenth anniversary ceremony in Siem Reap was a grand affair -- traditional Khmer dancing, a line of provincial officials listening stiff-backed to the national anthem and a succession of speeches, culminating with the local governor. But all were upstaged by the star of the show -- a diminutive schoolgirl who stepped up with a confidence beyond her years to tell her story.

Hawai, the eldest of eight siblings, had been deprived of schooling because of poverty and an alcoholic father. It seemed an unhappily common story in Cambodia. Earlier that day, we had seen a schoolyard play in which a drunken dad was the villain and the reason why his children were not being educated. It struck a chord with the village children, who watched intently, and it hit a nerve with some of the dads looking nervously towards the grassy stage.

In Hawai’s case, the story had a happy ending. Granted a spot in Room to Read's Girl’s Education program, she became a top student. So impressed was her father, that he quit drinking and became a Buddhist priest. Her other siblings are attending school, or waiting to attend. Hawai is aiming for university and wants to work for Room to Read. With the confidence and energy she displayed, there’s every chance she’ll succeed in her ambitions.

It was a moving story and a reminder for all of us that, beyond the metrics and statistics that Room to Read rightly uses to measure and challenge itself -- and which are a significant factor in the support of donors and the Financial Times -- the real meaning of the movement is the children who benefit.

I was fortunate this trip to be able to see projects in both Sri Lanka and Cambodia. And the two abiding impressions that stand out from the myriad of memories we brought back were the infectious enthusiasm of the children, matched only by the enthusiasm and dedication of the Room to Read teams.

Whether it was the dramatization of Sumudi’s Dance, one of the many titles from the burgeoning Sri Lankan local language publishing operation -- performed with style, grace, and spectacular self-made animal costumes by a troupe of schoolgirls -- or the progress reports delivered enthusiastically from the local staff, or the outstanding exhibition arranged by the Cambodia team, the quality and creativity of the work on the ground in each country shone through.

It was a once in a lifetime experience. And it was unforgettable to see how so many lives will be transformed and improved because of Room to Read.

The Financial Times selected Room to Read as the beneficiary of its 2009 seasonal appeal, which included several compelling feature stories and generated over $4.3 million in donations from corporations and individuals.

Please also continue to help us promote literacy this month:

TWEET out the International Literacy Day tweet.
INVEST in the publication of a new children's book for South Africa.

 

More from New York: Another Side of the Clinton Global Initiative

Cory Heyman, Room to Read Strategic Advisor for the Girls' Education and Monitoring and Evaluation programs, joined John Wood at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) this week in New York. In his guest blog, Cory shares an off-stage glimpse of CGI.

 

The halls of the Sheraton Towers in New York City are alive this week with international dignitaries, corporate CEOs and NGO leaders. Many people have come to declare new commitments that their organizations are making to respond to some of the most challenging issues in the world today. It was inspiring to hear President Arroyo announce Room to Read’s new commitment to improve educational opportunities for one million girls and one million boys over the next two years.

 

The buzz around the conference is that Room to Read is an organization to watch. We take our commitments seriously—as ambitious as they are—and we follow through with quality programming. That John was joined on stage for the announcement by Robert Diamond, president of Barclays Capital PLC, and Noa Meyer, vice president of Goldman Sachs, further demonstrates the credibility that Room to Read has earned with some of the world’s most savvy investors.

 

What most people don’t know, though, is that there is another side of CGI. After major commitments are announced and spotlights dim, CGI members continue to sit together in thematic breakout sessions to discuss the most pressing challenges as well as new opportunities for collaboration. One of the themes that CGI has identified as an ongoing global challenge is economic empowerment for girls and women.

 

Room to Read has been an active partner in the Action Network called Focus on Girls: From Education to Economic Empowerment. Over the past few months, we have convened teleconferences to discuss ways in which organizations can work together to improve gender equality in access to education. What was clear early on is that all Subgroup members share the belief that adolescence is a critical time in girls’ lives for making important decisions about their future. Supporting girls to stay in school and complete secondary education is the best way to improve their life chances.

 

In Tuesday’s breakout session with the full Action Network, I shared some of the ideas that came out of the Secondary Education Subgroup to date. The first was to launch a study about the experiences of economically challenged girls who complete secondary school and continue to college or university. Organizations such as Room to Read have seen many girls overcome the odds not only to complete secondary school but also to receive support to enter college. Their stories could inspire many other girls at critical stages of their own education. A collaborative study could help us learn more about steps for continuing educational success.

 

Another key point of discussion, shared by the other two Action Network subgroups as well, was the need and desire to share the materials they develop to support girls’ education. All organizations can benefit from seeing each others’ materials and making use of the best resources available. The end result is that the entire Action Network decided to pursue a broader collaboration and work to create a website where a range of program materials for adolescent girls can be shared. Stay tuned for updates as these activities unfold.

 

Read more about our Girls’ Education program on our website.

John Wood Blogs from the Clinton Global Initiative & Makes Our Next Bold Commitment

It was definitely one of those “pinch me” moments -- standing on stage at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York with Robert Diamond, Barclays Capital PLC president,and Noa Meyer, vice-president of Goldman Sachs, as former Philippine President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, announced our major commitment which will affect the lives of millions of children in Africa and Asia. Minutes later, Nicholas Kristof  praised Room to Read’s work in a panel discussion about girls’ education. When it rains it pours, and on this last day of summer in New York, we’re hoping for a downpour!

Our commitment: over the next two years, Room to Read will establish 4,000 additional libraries, improve school infrastructure, train teachers on library and reading skills, pilot literacy initiatives among primary school children, and publish 370 new local language titles, so that close to one million girls and one million boys will have enhanced educational resources.

Additionally, Room to Read will equip thousands of girls with life skills and support to ensure their completion of secondary school. These ambitious goals will be accomplished through the hard work of our country teams and the support of key partnerships with Barclays Capital, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, the U.S. State Department, CLSA Asia Pacific as well as individual funders.

Though our commitment was made before an audience of some of the world’s most influential business, political and philanthropic leaders, it was, more importantly, a promise made to millions of children in Africa and Asia awaiting the opportunity to learn to read and write. And it’s a promise we intend to keep – in a big way!

Three years ago, Room to Read co-founder and CEO, Erin Ganju, and I made another bold promise on this CGI stage: to double the impact of our work by establishing a total of 10,000 libraries and printing 3.5 million copies of local language children’s books by end the of 2010. In March of this year, I proudly cut the ribbon at the opening of our 10,000th library. These libraries are filled with colorful and culturally rich children’s books published by Room to Read, and at last count, the total number of books printed surpassed 4.3 million. When Room to Read promises, we deliver! Our supporters expect it, and millions of children are counting on it.

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Room to Read’s 10th anniversary than by rallying our global network of supporters to help us take the next giant step into creating a world where children, no matter where they’re born and no matter what their gender, can enjoy the myriad of benefits of education.

I’ll be spending the next couple of days at CGI shaking hands, doling out my business cards and making sure Room to Read becomes top of mind in discussions around education in Asia and Africa.  The world is ripe for action-oriented optimists, and we’re thrilled and extremely proud to be leading the charge to close the gender gap in global education.

For more information about the CGI announcement, read our recent press release.

Reconnecting with Mulenga: Zambia Scholar Looks to Bright Future

We first met Mulenga in 2008 during a visit to Zambia shortly after our program there started (see photo below).  Living full-time at the Lukwipa Basic School in the Chongwe District of Lusaka, Mulenga and over 100 other young girls participate in Room to Read’s Girls' Education program that includes educational support and life skills training. When John Wood met up with Mulenga recently, she was still an active participant in our program and had just returned from an educational summer camp with her peers that was organized by Room to Read.

Mulenga’s story speaks to the determination of young women who want to forge a life path different from past generations. Raising five children alone, Mulenga’s mother, who herself had only a few years of schooling, was forced to quit her job as a hairdresser because of severe asthma attacks.  Without Room to Read’s assistance, Mulenga would likely be forced to also quit school and work to support the family.

Instead, Mulenga has taken a very active role in her education -- two years ago, she beamed with special pride when she told us about her work as a library assistant in the school library. She’s now two years away from taking her national exam, which she plans to ace so she can enroll in university next.  As you will hear in her interview with John below, Mulenga would evenutally like to work in a bank, or perhaps she might even be the next staff member at Room to Read Zambia.  Regardless, Mulenga is determined to finish school at the top of her class and we have total confidence that she'll succeed!

Learn more about our Girls’ Education program and our work in Zambia.

Spreading Literacy Through Our Books: Bringing New Children’s Books to Life

This week, in recognition of International Literacy Day, we’re focusing on the power of literacy, reading and books. Sarah Stewart, Room to Read Local Language Program Associate, recently returned from Room to Read-sponsored writers’ and illustrators’ workshops in Cambodia. Fifteen aspiring writers attended a five-day workshop and produced 48 manuscripts -- seven of which were selected for illustration during the illustrators' workshop two weeks later. In this guest blog, Sarah introduces us to an author and artist who is excited to bring some of our children’s books to life.

With his infectious energy and bright smile, Nuon arrived early on the last day of the illustrators’ workshop. He bounced from table to table, greeting everyone and checking out the progress his fellow artists had made on their illustrations, offering praise or mock criticism in his charming manner. Every morning started with a light-hearted ice-breaker activity, and on this last day, Nuon -- flashing that grin we had all grown to adore and barely able to contain his excitement -- pleaded that he had dreamed of a game last night, and please could we play it? Within minutes, we were laughing hysterically as this group of adults frantically formed and re-formed “cages” with partners and tried to avoid being the only “animal” without a place to reside. 

Nuon's ability to spark excitement and enthusiasm, even from a group of sleepy adults, is evident in everything he does. As a grade 1 teacher at Phreas Lean Primary School in Krolunch, Cambodia, Nuon captivates his young students with both his art and his storytelling -- they learn while having fun!

Last year, Nuon participated in the illustrators’ workshop. This year, he decided to attended both the writers’ and illustrators’ workshops, despite the six-hour journey between his home and the workshop location. Nuon was incredibly productive, and at the end of the five-day writers’ workshop, he had ambitiously completed 10 fiction and non-fiction manuscripts, all tied to the grade 2 math and science curricula.  

An aspiring children's book author and self-taught artist, Nuon has a built-in audience of first-graders to tap into as a resource when trying to come up with story ideas. He sees what interests them, what keeps their attention, what they find humorous, and what tools might help them better understand the curriculum material.

After completing the writers’ workshop, Nuon returned home for a week before turning around and making the long trip back to Phnom Penh for the illustrators’ workshop. On day one of the workshop, copies of the seven selected manuscripts from the writers’ workshop were distributed to the artists.  Each artist would then select a story to work on during the week, using various methods of illustration. At the end of the first day, after all the other workshop participants had left, Nuon approached the facilitators with a look of disbelief and asked if he understood correctly – had Room to Read really chosen not one, but two of his stories to be illustrated? An affirmation incited a literal jump for joy from Nuon and that famous grin -- and in an instant he was out the door to get started.

The Dog and the Coconuts, a fiction story intended to promote early math skills, will be published by Room to Read in 2010. Who Am I?, a non-fiction book about water, will be printed in 2011. When asked if he wanted to illustrate his own books, Nuon humbly declined, citing the outstanding talent of his fellow artists.

Room to Read’s Local Language Publishing program has published 433 original children’s local language titles and printed more than 4.1 million books.

Please also continue to help us promote literacy:

TWEET out the International Literacy Day tweet.
INVEST in the publication of a new children's book for South Africa.

 

Spare a Tweet on International Literacy Day? Because If You Can't Read, You Can't Tweet!

Let’s face it -- most of us take reading for granted. As we sip our first cup of coffee on most mornings, we check out our favorite blogs, we read the newspaper, and we tweet something clever to the social media universe. But for 776 million people around the world, reading is a skill yet to be mastered and literacy is a concept that remains out of reach.

To remind us all of the importance of literacy, UNESCO declared September 8 as International Literacy Day and today, Twitter and Room to Read have partnered to spread awareness of this important day using the power of social media.

The unique social media campaign was launched this morning on Twitter’s Hope 140 website.  Along with Twitter, we’re spreading an illegible tweet --  symbolizing how every sentence looks to the  millions of people worldwide who cannot read. Users are able to decode or “read” this indecipherable tweet and also tweet out the message through www.hope140.org/literacy-day to spread the word about the importance of reading and literacy.

“We see this viral campaign as a way to draw attention to the problem of illiteracy and raise awareness for an organization that’s actually doing something about it,” said Biz Stone (@biz), co-founder of Twitter.

Beyond tweeting, Hope 140 also offers visitors other ways to directly promote literacy in the developing world. In a special campaign through the month of September, supporters will have the opportunity to invest in the publication of one of Room to Read’s locally published books for children in South Africa. The book is an original early reader story called “Unjani?” or “How Are You?” written in Xhosa and English. All donations will be matched up to $25,000, and the book will be dedicated to all our social media mavens out there. We can’t wait to show off the final product via Twitter, so donate today!

Another way to support Room to Read, for the over-21 crowd, is by purchasing Fledgling Wine, produced by Twitter and Crushpad Winery. Five dollars from the sale of every purchase of the Chardonnay and Pinot will benefit Room to Read’s literacy programs in India.

On behalf of the entire Room to Read family, Happy International Literacy Day -- we appreciate all your help to do something about it and spread the word!

See all the links below for the quick ways you can help:

TWEET out the International Literacy Day tweet.
POST the tweet as your Facebook status and join our awareness fan page.
INVEST in the publication of a new children's book for South Africa.
LEARN more about this initiative through the press release.

Guest blog from CEO Erin Ganju: Celebrate International Literacy Day

In 1965, UNESCO designated September 8 as International Literacy Day in an effort to highlight the importance of universal literacy to individuals, communities and societies. In honor of International Literacy Day, Room to Read CEO Erin Ganju reflects on what made her dedicate her career to promoting literacy in the developing world.

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As I prepare to send my daughter back to school this fall, I am reminded that each evening as I tuck her into bed after a day filled with ABC’s and 123’s, there will be 72 million children waking up on the other side of the world that will not go to school and never open a book -- putting them on the fast track to joining the 776 million adults in the world who lack basic literacy skills. It’s a cycle that needs to be broken.

I was inspired to devote my career to increasing educational opportunities for children in the developing world after my work in the private sector took me to Vietnam. At the time, Vietnam was just opening up to the world and to direct foreign investment, and I was impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit I saw in the Vietnamese people to pull themselves out of poverty. I was also disheartened when I saw how many people lacked the basic skills or education to really do so. My company was hiring a workforce to operate major factories, and the majority of the workforce had barely ever used a telephone, much less a computer.

Despite significant strides made in recent years, literacy remains an elusive target for too many. One in five adults worldwide remains unable to read and write, despite education having been specifically identified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

International Literacy Day is meant to shed light on the irrefutable link between literacy and self-empowerment. The benefits of basic literacy sweep through entire communities, increasing civic participation, life expectancy, and wages along the way.

On September 8 this year, exercise your right to read. Visit your local library, read a bedtime story to your kids, or donate that box of books you’ve been meaning to give to your local Goodwill.  Remember how lucky we are to live in a society that is able to provide our children with a quality primary education, and take a moment to appreciate what it would be like to have grown up on the other side of that statistic. I know I will.

Learn more about what Room to Read is doing around International Literacy Day and how you can help us promote it. Please also read more about Room to Read's literacy focus in our strategic vision.

Guest blog from John Wood: Postcards from Bangladesh

In celebration of Room to Read’s 10th Anniversary, John Wood is on an extended journey with some of our most ardent supporters to visit every Room to Read country. The first stop on this three-week mega-trip was Bangladesh and it included a visit to the “char” area, a remote region of river islands which are under constant threat of flood by the Jamuna River. For most people living in this isolated corner of Bangladesh, John and his co-travelers were the first foreigners they’d ever met. 

Until recently, during the four months of the annual monsoon season, the girls who live in the char area had been stranded and unable to get off the islands to attend school. Thanks to the brilliance of our Bangladesh team and our partner NGO, SHARP, the girls can now travel across the ever-changing river aboard the exciting new “Boat to Read.”  In addition to visiting with girls in our Girls’ Education program, John and guests celebrated Room to Read’s first decade by attending the Reading Festival and playing literacy-themed games like "Read and Run” and “Read Relay” with several hundred children at one of our libraries. John sent this descriptive postcard from Bangladesh and shares some of his unique experiences from the other side of the globe.

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If you are born as a poor, rural, female, to uneducated parents in a resource-deprived country like Bangladesh, you have five strikes against you from Day One. If your family can’t afford good land, and has to live on the marginal and silty land of the chars, add a sixth strike. But this is not a story of pity or sadness. It is one of hope.

The air was incredibly thick with humidity as we made our way to the boat launch. This year, the monsoon season has lasted even longer than the usual four months, and the water level is extremely high. What was once a dry plain is now a river seven kilometers wide. Where all this water comes from, we don’t know. All we do know is that it prevents residents from leaving their shifting sand islands for months at a time. There is no electricity on these islands, and fuel is incredibly expensive, so once the sun sets, so do all activities outside the home.

I hopped onto one of the large, flat boats sporting a colorful “Boat to Read” banner and filled with Room to Read Girls’ Education program participants wearing white Room to Read-logo’d hats made especially for our visit. My guide for the day, a 14-year-old scholar, introduced herself shyly, eyes aimed downwards in deference. Because our team has designated the hour-long journey as reading time, she and I decided to do just that -- and for this special occasion, I presented her with a copy of my first children’s book, “Zak the Yak With Books on His Back.” No deference here -- she looked Zak squarely in the eye, and a smile stretched across her face. Since the book is in English, I offered to read it to her first, but she was quite adamant that she could handle Zak. 

We were lost in the second reading of Zak’s adventures to bring books to children when the boat docked and cheers from our welcoming hosts filled the air. We had traveled to the other side of the river to attend the Reading Festival, a veritable reading Olympics, including reading relay games, live music and a general feeling of celebration. All along the shore, the children were lined up to greet us and escorted us to the site of this very special event.

Despite the extreme heat, there were chills as I watched and heard children from one of the most remote corners of world, reading and obviously loving their new skill. These were children from communities that are essentially off the radar of most NGOs and the government as well. Thanks to the dedication and ingenuity of our amazing team on the ground here, these children will thrive and have a brighter future.

I leave Bangladesh with many compelling images and stories. This is a people with virtually nothing permanent in their lives, and yet they recognize the importance of educating their daughters and sons.

This was eloquently summed up during the team celebration by a well-known local professor, who shared his interpretation of the tale of the genie in the bottle:

"Now, how is it that this genie could grant any wish, and yet he could not get himself out of the bottle?  What was it that was missing in the bottle that thwarted his powers? I will tell you. It is light. Light is the power. Once in the light, the genie was capable of anything. Education is like the light. With it, one can do everything. Bangladesh can do everything with education."

"Boat to Read," "Read and Run," and the magic light of education.  I leave Bangladesh a happy man.

Room to Read Bangladesh was established in July 2008, and in two years, over 150 libraries have been established and 234 girls are participating in the Girls’ Education program.