Room to Read Blog

Show and Tell: Room to Read Founder Honored at the Tribeca Film Festival

This post is part of the ongoing series, Show and Tell, where we bring you photos and stories collected by Room to Read team members on the road. 

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Last week, Room to Read Founder and Board Co-Chair John Wood hit the red carpet, accepting an award for lifetime achievement at the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards. Recognized for his work with Room to Read, John accepted the hammer-shaped award alongside fellow honorees Jack Dorsey of Twitter, actor Ed Burns (pictured below) and pop superstar Justin Bieber.

Here are some photos from the event:

Learn more about Room to Read's Awards and Recognition.

Show and Tell: Accepting the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy in New Delhi

This post is part of the ongoing series, Show and Tell, where we bring you photos and stories collected by Room to Read team members on the road. 

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Today's show and tell is hot off the presses. Taken earlier today in New Delhi at the UNESCO Literacy Day 2011 celebration, it shows Wilfredo Pascual, global program officer for our Local Language Publishing program, accepting the 2011 Confucius Prize for Literacy on behalf of the entire Room to Read team. The award was presented by President of India Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil and Dr. Qian Tang, Assistant Director-General for Education for UNESCO.

Room to Read Honored by UNESCO with 2011 Confucius Prize for Literacy

Big news came today from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s headquarters in Paris, France: the winners of the 2011 UNESCO Literacy Prizes have been announced, and Room to Read has been chosen as one of the awardees for the 2011 Confucius Prize for Literacy!

The award, established in 2005, recognizes the activities of outstanding individuals, governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in literacy. This year, Room to Read's Local Language Publishing program was recognized for its success in producing and distributing high-quality, culturally-relevant books to young readers in Asia and Africa.

UNESCO’s selection committee also commended our commitment to increasing local capacity by working with local authors and illustrators to produce over 550 original local-language children's books to date. 

The Room to Read team will be on hand in New Delhi, India, on September 8 to officially accept the award at UNESCO’s International Literacy Day celebration, which includes a $20,000 grant to fund our programs. Photos of our work will also be on display as part of an exhibition at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris September 5-11, alongside images from fellow 2011 Literacy Award winners from Burundi, Mexico and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and programs with Honorable Mentions from Pakistan and the Philippines.

We are extremely honored by UNESCO's choice to recognize Room to Read’s work, and by the thoughtful nomination submitted by Dr. Fernando Reimers of our board of directors.

Thank you to everyone who has invested in our literacy programs over the past 11 years—we could not do any of it without you!

You can read about all the 2011 Literacy Prize winners in UNESCO’s Press Release.

Learn about our Local Language Publishing program on the Room to Read website.

Freedom to Learn: A Guest Blog from South Africa

Chris Mothupi, Room to Read's Country Director in South Africa, recently attended an awards ceremony organized by the Mpumalanga Department of Education to recognize schools in the province that are demonstrating an outstanding commitment to using their library. The winner of the “Library of the Year” award happened to be a Room to Read library and in today's blog, in honor of South Africa's Freedom Day holiday, Chris shares how the students came prepared with a few words to express how their library has given them the "freedom to learn." 

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“Room to Read, where were you during that time when we struggled for education?
Where were you during those days when we did not have libraries that brought us liberation?
But we forgive you now because your birth in South Africa brought us knowledge,
Because of you, children from schools are now able to read, write and broaden their knowledge.”

These lines come from a poem that was written and presented by first graders from Malwana Primary School during a ceremony I attended on March 18 in honor of the provincial library week organized by the Mpumalanga Department of Education. The occasion was to recognize schools that have shown significant improvement in the usage of their libraries by students and teachers, and of the 300 primary and secondary schools that participated in the competition, Malwana Primary School stole the show that day as it scooped up the prestigious “Mpumalanga Provincial Library of the Year” award.

Their win and the fact that the children were so inspired by their library as to write a poem about it, swelled me with immense pride. But it was their metaphor of a  library as a liberator to knowledge that takes on special significance, because today is South Africa’s Freedom Day holiday. It was on April 27 in 1994 that all South Africans had the opportunity to vote in the country's first post-apartheid democratic election. We celebrate this day because it is a reminder to us of how Nelson Mandela, an icon of liberation for me and many of my countrymen, inspired change and acceptance in an historically divided nation. [See Chris’ guest blog about Nelson Mandela International Day.] 

 

I remember well what Mandela implored on a day that I was honored to hear him speak. He said children must go to school and learn, because how can you have freedom if you do not have education?

 
Room to Read began working at the Malwana Primary School in 2009 when, in collaboration with Mpumalanga Department of Education and the community of Manyeleti village, we converted one of the school's unused classrooms into a library. Shelves, library desks, tables and books were soon provided and the teachers and the school’s governing body members, along with the principal Mr. Rambele, were also trained by Room to Read on library management and ways to engage students in library activities to enhance their literacy skills. Mr. Rambele and his staff then took it upon themselves to work diligently with the local village chief to mobilize the community and encourage children and parents to visit the library and make use of the resources on regular basis.

Today, the library is fully utilized by students and teachers from the Malwana school and the larger Manyeleti village. During the weekday afternoons and on Saturdays it remains open for neighbouring schools and communities to access. By establishing the library at the this school and in this community, Room to Read has contributed significantly to the villagers’ newfound appreciation of the empowerment that comes with being educated.

But, for me, it is not Room to Read's presence that makes libraries at schools like Malwana Primary School successful. Instead it is what those schools and teachers and students do with the resources, and the community's dedication to supporting them, that will make an everlasting impact on their education. It is an education that is essential to their continued freedom to make informed choices, and I am confident that Room to Read will continue to be a catalyst for change in South Africa by giving children the "freedom to learn." The Malwana Primary School is a testament to that.

To learn more about Room to Read’s work in South Africa, click here.

Guest Blog from Board Director: Room to Read's Numbers Tell the Story

Craig Bruya, former CFO of Microsoft Business Solutions and audit manager with Arthur Andersen & Co, and now a professional philanthropist, has been actively involved with Room to Read since 2002 and joined the Board of Directors in 2008. From the perspective of both an investor and a board member, Craig shares his thoughts as to why numbers matter, how Room to Read is getting it right -- and how the world seems to be finding out about it.

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In 2002, when I was first approached by John Wood, a former colleague at Microsoft, to get involved with helping to develop a financial model for Room to Read, I did what every self-professed number-cruncher does: I reviewed their financial statements, budgets and five-year plan.  Eight years later, I find myself happily ensconced on the board of an organization that has grown exponentially, both in revenue and results.

As the head of the Audit Committee, I work closely with Room to Read CFO, Joanne Chou, and her skilled staff of finance and accounting experts, and with pencils sharpened, we continue to refine and improve procedures to keep our efficiency level extremely high. Apparently it’s working, and word is getting out.

Last week, Barron’s, a publication targeted for a financially-sophisticated audience, included Room to Read in their second annual “25 Top Givers” list. This list calls out individuals and organizations that get big results from their donation dollars and this year, includes the standard heavy hitters of philanthropy with Bill Gates, Jr. at #1, Bill Clinton at #8 and Oprah Winfrey at #21. And, I am proud that among that list is John Wood/Room to Read at #9, up two positions from last year -- and one of the only on the list that didn’t start out as a billionaire or celebrity-led endeavor.

We also learned last week that we had qualified for membership in a very elite group in having been awarded Charity Navigator’s four-star (the highest) rating for sound fiscal management for a fifth consecutive year.  Only 6% of their rated charities can claim this five-year streak. Charity Navigator is the recognized report card for U.S. charities, and each year, 5,500 nonprofits are evaluated on various criteria, including levels of overhead, direct program spending and program results.

So what exactly do these honors mean? Simply put, they mean that Room to Read has developed a formula for growth and efficiency that is rarely seen in the nonprofit (or even for-profit) world. That formula, which includes innovative thinking, transparency, diversified funding and planned growth, attracts investments from business giants such as Credit Suisse and Barclays Capital and Goldman Sachs, as well as individuals looking for a philanthropic partner who can take their dollars and turn them into a tool to change the lives of children. Investors know they can trust Room to Read -– which is why, in an economy that is challenging at best, Room to Read managed to grow its revenue by over 20% last year and is on target to do the same in 2010!  As an accountant, I love to see great revenue growth, but as an investor I take greater comfort knowing that we are helping many more children gain the lifelong gift of literacy.

What’s Room to Read’s secret? That’s just it –- we don’t have secrets. One of our core beliefs is transparency, which means that all the books are on the table –- data about donation totals, project expenses and program results are updated regularly and made available to all of our key stake holders, including staff, board, volunteers, donors and potential donors.

Of course, it helps when you have good data to report, which, in general, we do. Thanks to our “cheap and cheerful” mantra, more than 80 cents of every dollar is funneled directly into our program work. That being said, we don’t believe in being penny-wise but pound-foolish. Room to Read invests in the necessary infrastructure that allows our worldwide team to excel at their work. It costs money to build accounting systems and donor management systems and to monitor and evaluate our programs to make sure that they are cost effective and getting the desired results. We work hard to strike a careful balance between donation efficiency and infrastructure investment.

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Bangladesh, India, Zambia and South Africa to see our programs at work. It is one thing to be impressed with our numbers and to be happy that we are a well-managed organization, but it is a very different thing to see donor dollars in action. The children are thrilled to be learning -- and they are sharing their new-found knowledge with their families. The experience was life-changing, and my commitment to the organization has never been greater. I know of no investment with greater return than that of educating a child.

Read more about Room to Read's recent honors on our website. And, consider giving a unique gift this season through our Room to Read’s Holiday Gift Catalog where your gift can help share education with children in Asia and Africa. Plus, through the end of December, all online donations will be matched 100% up to $500,000. 

 

We’re Already a Winner on South Africa’s Pitch

Today, the eyes of the world are upon South Africa as football (soccer) fans descend on the country for the kickoff of the 2010 FIFA World Cup competition. It’s the first time this worldwide sporting event has been hosted by an African nation, so it’s a big deal! We’d also be remiss if we didn’t offer our congratulations to the people of South Africa, especially our Room to Read South Africa team whom we hope can enjoy some of the festivities!
 
But, there are other – smaller varieties – of competitions that happen around South Africa and in honor of the World Cup, we wanted to share our own “competition” story. This one, however, is not about who takes home a coveted trophy but about who wins the battle for the best school library.

Just a few weeks ago, over 300 people in the Mpumalange province – an agricultural region located far and away from the urban landscapes of Johannesburg and Cape Town – gathered at an awards ceremony hosted by the provincial Department of Education to recognize the achievements of several local school libraries.

The government surveyed more than 200 schools in the province to present awards in categories such as “Best Improved Library,” “Best Library Monitor,” and “Best Librarian.” It’s an annual presentation by the Department of Education to support and promote the utilization of local libraries by children, families and the community at large.

Room to Read was thrilled to learn that many of the schools honored at the event have active Reading Rooms that were established by Room to Read. Even more exciting was news that two schools – Kennen Primary School (supported by Sterling Brands) and Ehlanzeni Siyakhula – scooped up the award for “School Library of the Year” in their respective regions.

Teachers and students around South Africa who now have a library thanks to Room to Read have been sending us their words of thanks. Miss Prudence Ntimba, a librarian and teacher, commented, “Our school is located in a remote area…there is a high illiteracy level in our community. Room to Read provided us with books and library furniture and we are very grateful. My students can now read with confidence in front of other students and their self-esteem has improved. Thank you for making me realize my dream to bring something good for my community.”

Talk about more feathers to add to South Africa’s cap!

For more information about Room to Read in South Africa, click here.

Charity Navigator Honors Room to Read (Again) with its Highest Rating

We did it…again!

Charity Navigator, America's largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities, has awarded Room to Read its coveted 4-star rating for sound fiscal management for the fourth consecutive year in a row. Only 8 percent of their rated charities can claim what Charity Navigator says demonstrates to the public a charity that is "worthy of their trust."

Charity Navigator uses a unique method of applying data-driven analysis to the charitable sector – focusing on accountability, transparency and measurable results – to help savvy donors evaluate which charity is going to make the most effective and efficient use of their philanthropic dollars. According to Ken Berger, Charity Navigator President and CEO, "Room to Read consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way, and outperforms most other charities in America."  That’s a bold statement coming from a charity evaluator that assesses ten times more charities than its competitors and which influenced an estimated $10 billion in charitable gifts last year alone.

"Receiving this honor for the fourth year in a row places us in an elite class and goes a long way in reinforcing the confidence our donors have in their investment in our work," said John Wood, Room to Read Founder and Executive Chairman. “From our beginning in 2000, we have taken an entrepreneurial and creative approach to running a tight ship. I have used over 4 million donated frequent flier miles to travel the world, and in numerous cities hotels provide free rooms. Credit Suisse provides no-cost office space in Hong Kong, London and Tokyo, and over 3,000 volunteers run fund-raising chapters in 45 cities around the world. Room to Read’s consistent four-star rating is a reflection of this commitment to putting our investors’ money where it is most needed: into quality and scalable education programs in over 10,000 cities across the developing world.”

This news comes on the heels of our recognition as a “high-impact giving” organization in Barron’s 2009 “25 Best Philanthropists” issue, ranking 11th on the list.

Click here to visit the Room to Read page on the Charity Navigator website for more information.

Barron’s Names Room to Read in Top 25 “Best Givers” Demonstrating Effective Giving and Results

It is an exciting week for Room to Read in the press.  This week, Barron’s magazine unveiled their cover story on The 25 Best Givers and John Wood and Room to Read ranked 11th out of 25 worldwide philanthropists. 

Being on the list at all was an honor itself.  Being ranked 11th above Bill and Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Carter, George Soros, Peter and Jennifer Buffett, Brad Pitt and "Magic" Johnson was truly humbling.  But, to be included in the list along with our funders and friends Jeff Skoll and Bill and Melinda Gates was the icing on the cake!

This list itself was compiled by Barron’s, in collaboration with the Global Philanthropy Group, to highlight the “best of the best” and most effective charities when people are looking for the greatest “bang for their buck.”  As reporter Suzanne McGee suggests, “With the recession squeezing donors and charities alike, it's more important than ever to make sure your giving really makes a difference.”

Room to Read has always been committed to transparency with our donors and considers itself, as Barron's called those on the list, a "high-impact giving" organization that takes care with each dollar invested with us.  Especially considering the state of the economy during this giving season, we are particularly proud of our accomplishments and we thank Barron’s for recognizing us and bestowing us with this award.  Read the full article here.

And...because we have your attention, we also can’t help mentioning that the Financial Times published their second large feature story on us in their FT Weekend edition on Saturday about the Kamlari girls we support in Nepal.  In Servant to schoolgirl, Asia editor David Pilling profiles Asha Tharu, whose parents sold her at age five into bonded labor for USD $40. She worked as a servant for eight years until one of Room to Read’s partner organizations rescued her. Room to Read now supports her in school and provided her with special classes to get her caught up to the mainstream curriculum.  Asha is now a happy 15-year-old schoolgirl, with an aptitude for math; on the weekends she works at a brick factory to help her elder sister pay for her schooling.  Read the full story here.
   
You can read all the Room to Read stories from the Financial Times by visiting www.roomtoread.org/FT and don’t forget, through this FT seasonal campaign, all donations are being matched thanks to our corporate sponsors: Barclays Capital, Atlassian and Credit Suisse.

A Special Recognition by the Microsoft Alumni Foundation

This blog is a guest post from Craig Bruya, Former Microsoft Employee and Room to Read Board Member

Last night, the Microsoft Alumni Foundation announced the first class of Integral Fellows, a fellowship program that recognizes and supports a Microsoft alumnus who has made a meaningful difference to others by contributing to the community.
 
The 66 nominees were narrowed to six finalists by a group of prestigious judges: Former President Jimmy Carter, Bill Drayton, Bill Gates Sr., Pierre Omidyar, and Tom Tierney. Of the six finalists honored at the gala last night, John Wood was announced as one of the three inaugural Integral Fellows along with Trish Millines Dziko of Technology Access Foundation and Patrick Awuah of Ashesi University. 

John left Microsoft in 1999 after visiting a primary school in Nepal and seeing first-hand the absolute poverty and extreme lack of educational resources. As a result, he started Room to Read in 2000, and since then the organization has provided educational opportunities to over 3.1 million children across Asia and Africa. 

I’m very proud to be a member of the Room to Read Board of Directors. The work this organization does is outstanding, and the momentum continues to build as we move forward into our second decade. Room to Read is working with the Microsoft Alumni Foundation to identify how to partner in a variety of ways. We look forward to their support of and engagement in our work so that more former Microsofties can join us in our efforts to change the world through the lifelong gift of education.

Please join me in congratulating John and Room to Read for receiving this honor. Our accomplishments are due to a growing global network of supporters, and we thank you for being a part of it!

To watch a video on John from the event and to read more about the Microsoft Alumni Foundation, click here.

Meet Dr. Sindiwe Magona, One of Our Local Authors from South Africa and Voted Top 10 Best African Women Writers

Kim Morton, a recent addition to the Room to Read board of directors, just returned from South Africa and Zambia where she was able to witness Room to Read's programs and impact first-hand.

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South African writer Dr. Sindiwe Magona thinks African children need more stories about naughty girls and boys that can cook. And she should know! She's been voted Top 100 Best African writers and and Top 10 Best African Women writers. She's written over 100 children's books in all 11 of South Africa's official languages. Dr. Magona believes that if you want children to read, you must write exciting books, wild stories, fables, and mysteries.

Last week, when I sat down to talk with Dr. Magona in Johannesburg, she was intense and focused on the dire situation South African children find themselves in today. Grinding poverty, illiteracy, prevalent HIV/AIDS, and orphaned children are the daily reality. Twenty-eight percent of pregnant women (2007) were living with HIV, perpetuating the cycle of sickness for another generation. But, last week as I toured rural and urban South African schools and visited Room to Read's libraries, I saw real hope amidst these tough circumstances. Children love the refuge of their bright colorful books, they engage in their Room to Read libraries whose shelves hold Xhosa and Setswana stories like Dr. Magona's, and several of our libraries have dedicated librarians with time built into the curriculum to visit the library, be read to, play word games and even check a book out to take home. Think of the pride a child feels taking home a book and reading to an illiterate parent or grandparent.

Dr. Magona points out that in several different African languages, the word for a person who cannot read is "blind". "We can make a breakthrough!" she promises. "Right now our South Aftrican children are crawling while the rest of the world runs! If we make books interesting for kids, and we write them in their mother tongue, children will develop a love and a habit of reading." Room to Read agrees, and is fortunate to collaborate with Dr. Magona's vast expertise in children's literacy. She serves on Room to Read's Book Selection Committee, she helps to train aspiring young writers in South Africa, and she has served as a Judge for Room to Read's writing competitions which often receive hundreds of submissions in all South Africa's official languages. The winners of the competition are published by Room to Read and are then placed in Room to Read's libraries across South Africa so young children can read exciting books about their own cultures in their own languages.

"We are all born with  our hands tightly fisted, " says Dr. Magona. "That is where the Maker, the Universe places the talents we come bearing to the world. And it is only by using these talents that we can leave the world a better place than we found it. So do your bit. Sing if you must; Write if you must; but do your bit to make the world a better place."

To learn more about our programs in South Africa, click here.

To learn more about our Local Language Publishing program, click here.