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At Room to Read, we believe that everyone has a role to play in promoting literacy and gender equality in education in developing countries. To that end, we work with youth from around the globe who want to do their part by helping them raise awareness and funds in their own community to support Room to Read’s work in Asia and Africa. This Students Helping Students program, as we call it, now spans across 30 countries, and more than 600 student teams have supported our cause since 2004. From Girl Scouts to graduate students, these teams are made up of passionate advocates and rock star fundraisers—having raised more than US$360,000 for our work in 2011 alone.
One of our most active teams, from the American School of Dubai, recently wrapped up their 2011 fundraising efforts to the tune of over US$10,000! Read on to learn how they managed such an impressive feat and what made them want to be involved with Room to Read in the first place.
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Club Room to Read at the American School of Dubai (ASD) has been very busy the last few months. Students of all ages are standing up for literacy and gender equality in education, and seeing some serious results. Last year alone they raised US$10,000—one of our biggest student donations of the year!
One secret to their success is their innovative “Room to Read Café” fundraiser. About 5 times a year, ASD student plan and staff “Café Days” held at a local establishment. The students design special menu offerings and assist wait staff in serving clientele. For their efforts, a portion of the day’s proceeds are donated to Room to Read.
In addition to these Café Days, ASD students have also hosted a number of other events, including book sales, talent shows, competitive stacking games and a writing competition—all to celebrate literacy and support our work in Asia and Africa!
ASD students say they support Room to Read because the organization’s mission aligns with something they are personally passionate about: educating those who are less fortunate.
“Your education is something nobody can ever take away from you; it’s yours to keep”, says student Andrea Izem Yener. Participating in Students Helping Students, she says, “has definitely made me appreciate what I have more.”
Congratulations to all of our ASD student supporters and a special shout out to writing contest winners Anjika Bhatnagar, Amaar Qureshi, Olivia Quern and Rohan Khanna. All of your hard work and energetic support is helping Room to Read to change the lives of millions of students in Asia and Africa!
Stay up to date with the latest information about Students Helping Students on Facebook.
Aphiwe Dyobhiso is a bright, friendly student at Mpongo Farm School in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. At 12 years old, the fourth grader—like many of her peers in South Africa—lags behind grade level in reading and writing, but her teachers are quick to point out that her latent literacy skills don’t stop her from participating in school. She enjoys storytelling exercises and works hard to keep up with her classmates.
One day during a visit to the Mpongo School Library established by Room to Read, the librarian read aloud to the students from a book called Kutheni Gugu about a mother’s struggle with HIV and AIDS.
It was clear right away how much Aphiwe loved the story, and as weeks went by the librarian noticed that she continued to check it out every library period. Despite her difficulty reading, Aphiwe would patiently sit down with the book, going from beginning to end meticulously and learning the words. She also began to recommend the book to her fellow students.
Aphiwe’s teachers and the school’s principal, Ms. Nontando Tata, were surprised at this turn of events, and it was not until learning more about the girl’s background that they understood her fascination with Kutheni Gugu.
As it turned out, Aphiwe’s mother had passed away from AIDS the previous year, leaving her to live in a one-room house with her great-grandmother and three other relatives. The story of Kutheni Gugu has helped her process her family’s tragedy and see that she is not alone in the experience.
Ms. Tata hopes that this newfound interest in reading combined with some extra help this school year will allow Aphiwe to catch up with her peers. Through a new program at the library, “Reading Buddies”, Aphiwe will be paired with an intermediate-level reader in her class that can help her to sound out the words and sentences until she becomes more comfortable reading on her own.
In addition to providing children of families affected by AIDS in South Africa with a relatable story to enjoy, books like Kutheni Gugu are also instrumental in turning the tide against the disease by helping children develop a love of reading and learning. Studies show that a child who finishes primary school is 50% less likely to contract HIV, extending the benefits of a fully-stocked library and well-trained teacher-librarians far beyond the schoolyard gates.
To learn more about our School Libraries and our work in South Africa.
The sun was shining brightly over Vietnam's Long An province on October 16 and over Can Giuoc Secondary School. Sundays are normally quiet on school grounds, but this is an exception—with more than 40 graduates of Room to Read’s Girls’ Education program on campus for the annual alumnae meeting.
All of the attendees have completed secondary school and most are scattered among colleges and universities in and around Ho Chi Minh City. Each year, our team invites these girls from four provinces to return to the local high school for a meetup, to share successes and swap advice on school, friends, love and life away from home. Through these meetings, the young women are able to retain connections they made in secondary school and refresh what they learned through the program.
The day’s activities began with an exercise in reflection and goal-setting called Vẽ lại “cây cuộc đời (the tree of life). Each one of the young women was given a blank outline of a tree and art supplies, with instructions to add flowers and fruit to represent personal success, leaves for future goals, worms for obstacles and roots for motivation. The girls then shared their experiences with the rest of the group—including Room to Read staff.
One scholar, Nguyen Thi Yen Xuan spoke of how the life skills training she received had helped her achieve greater independence: "I have gained a scholarship for university, learned how to use a computer and become more confident compared to my classmates."
Another girl, Vo Thi Kim Tram, agreed. “I have gained interpersonal and leadership abilities,” she said. “I know how to set clear objectives for every activity and how to prioritize well.” She also shared her motivation to continue in school with the group. “My sister only completed grade two," she said solenmly. "I have to do more.”
After sharing their stories, the girls reflected together on the mutual challenges they have faced since graduation and those that lie ahead, including transportation, finding accommodations and balancing school with work.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong voiced her frustration that her journey to school every day requires a commute of more than 2.5 hours. Another girl, Nguyen Thi Cam Giang, who takes three separate bus trips to get to school each day, was comforted to hear that other girls had experienced struggles similar to hers.
After the sharing period, the young women were led in a resume writing workshop by our local team and discussed their individual career goals. Girls like Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thao, who just graduated with honors in Intermediate Medicine, provided inspiration for others like Tran Thi Cam Hong who currently works eight hours in a factory every day and studies accounting in the evenings.
For our Girls’ Education program team in Vietnam, these alumnae meetings are not only a chance to catch up with former scholars, but also to see their hard work in action. Every day, throughout the surrounding provinces, these girls are putting their education and life skills training to use. They are confident, empowered young women and role models in their communities, armed with the tools they need to succeed.
Learn more about our Girls’ Education program and meet some of our Girl Graduates.
