Room to Read Blog

Guest Blog from CEO Erin Ganju: This Giving Tuesday, Give the Gift of Trust

As analysts and consumers alike read reports on the impact Black Friday and Cyber Monday may have on the economy, today the nonprofit community is focused on another important day—Giving Tuesday. This first-ever Giving Tuesday seeks to unite and transform the way we think about, talk about and participate in the end-of-year giving season. Wouldn’t it be nice if the droves of post-Thanksgiving shoppers invested in charities with the same enthusiasm as they had while waiting to purchase the latest hard-to-get electronic or finding the best online deal for this year’s most popular toy?

There was an essay I read in The Wall Street Journal this past September that questioned why charities can’t be sold like perfume, unfettered from the restrictive financial expectations that require them to almost do the impossible: spend less on salaries while keeping staff satisfied and invest little in infrastructure, fundraising and marketing to lower administrative costs while operating effectively on minimal resources. During the holiday season—when most charities experience a peak in investments—those of us in the nonprofit community are fighting an uphill battle against corporations spending billions of dollars to get your attention. So, we hope at least on Giving Tuesday, you’ll take notice of us!

I came from the business world—working both on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley before becoming co-founder and CEO of Room to Read, a global nonprofit organization focused on literacy and gender equality in education in the developing world. Now that I understand the operational efficiencies and inefficiencies within both the nonprofit and business sectors, I want to offer you some advice on how to spend your philanthropic dollars this Giving Tuesday and throughout this holiday season. And really, it comes down to investing in trust.

You trust your financial institution with your retirement money so you should have that same trust in those who receive your philanthropic dollars. If you trust the company you are making the investment in—whether a start-up you think will be the next Facebook, or the charity that is doing work you are passionate about— you need to trust they know the best way to apply your donation to achieve the most significant impact.

But how do you know? Start by getting to know the organizations working in your field of interest. As the investor, conduct proper due diligence just as you would when purchasing a product or stock. While it is important to look at an organization’s overhead to see what they spend on programs verses administrative costs, don’t make this your only indicator. There are smart ways a nonprofit can invest in overhead to increase operational efficiency, such as investing in their workforce and IT infrastructure.

Also, evaluate how your charities compete in the marketplace. The little known secret in the nonprofit space is that, although we don’t like to admit it, the nonprofit sector is competitive—for donor dollars! Although nonprofits often share information and lessons learned, which do not pose a drain on limited resources, many expect nonprofits to collaborate extensively and even partner if they work on the same issue. Yet, do we ask Pepsi and Coke to do this because they are both in the beverage industry? When I worked in Vietnam for Unilever in the mid-90s, no one asked me to collaborate with our major competitor, Proctor & Gamble. Instead, I was expected to beat them at every opportunity with the understanding that healthy competition drives quality and efficiencies.

Once you have identified charities you have grown to trust and understand, I suggest making bigger donations to fewer organizations. Your chosen nonprofits can now have greater impact with your resources and build a stronger and longer relationship with you, the investor. I also encourage you to give unrestricted funding. Philanthropic investors should see their investment in an entire organization, not just one business unit. An investment in Apple, does not include the option of investing solely in iPhones or the cost to keep the lights on in Cupertino, California, so why do we allow this in the nonprofit sector? When donations are restricted to individual projects, organizations may then have limited funds  to support program monitoring and evaluation, internal audits of funds, and investment in more effective systems, processes and infrastructure.

So, as peak shopping season continues, we hope you will consider investing in charities on Giving Tuesday and beyond. There are millions of philanthropic opportunities for you to consider and millions of us working hard to gain your attention. One of these days I hope this holiday sees results akin to those of Black Friday or Cyber Monday and we too are asked to open our doors earlier to manage donor demand. Until then, we simply ask for the gift of your trust.

This post originally appeared in The Huffington Post on November 27, 2012 in honor of Giving Tuesday.

Room to Read is participating in #GivingTuesday. Donate anytime between now and Wednesday, November 28 to have your impact tripled!

Video Blog: Erin Ganju on Empowering All Children Through Education

November 20th is Universal Children's Day, a day designated by the United Nations to focus on the wellbeing of children everywhere. For Room to Read CEO Erin Ganju, this means ensuring all children—including her own daughter, Julia—get the education they need to become active, empowered citizens.

In this video, produced in partnership between Liberty Mutual's Responsibility Project and Women in the World, Erin discusses Room to Read's progress so far, and how seeing our work through her daughter's eyes has shaped her perspective.

Learn more about our leadership on our website.

Erin Ganju on the Global Gender Gap Report: Unlocking the Potential of Gender Parity

The newly released Global Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum signifies progress, but reveals that there remains much to be done to ensure equal access to education, particularly in less developed countries. A trained and empowered workforce leads to economic growth, but without investing in half of that workforce – girls and women – we undermine the global economy by ceding their collective talents and leadership.

USAID estimates that when 10 percent more girls attend school, a country’s GDP increases an average of 3 percent. Yet, when the majority of the world’s labor force is female, uneducated and underpaid, it is clear that something must change if women are to lift themselves, and their countries, out of poverty.

We know that for every year a girl is educated beyond the average, her wages increase by 15 percent, which in turn benefits her family, community and society. Yet, two-thirds of the world’s 775 million illiterate are women, 98 percent living in the developing world.

There is hope. The universal approach proven to increase the status of women is education. As the leader of Room to Read, a global non-profit organization focused on literacy and gender disparity in education across Asia and Africa, I have witnessed first-hand the transformative effect of empowering girls with a high-quality education.

One example is Prem, once a scholar in Room to Read’s Girls’ Education program, and now a 21-year-old nursing student. Prem is from Nepal, which ranks 123rd in the Global Gender Gap Index overall and 125th for literacy, placing Nepal in the bottom 15. Prem’s mother and two elder sisters are uneducated and work daily in a riverbed to earn a meager living. Through the power of education, Prem is now creating a brighter future for herself and her family and is on her way to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

It is great to see the progress in the Global Gender Gap Report, but we cannot afford to forget those among the bottom ranks like Prem. Nepal, as well as other countries where Room to Read works such as Cambodia and Zambia, are places where we need to strategically focus and devote our resources. I look forward to a day when stories like Prem’s are not unique, and girls are enabled to step away from a life of poverty into a world of possibility.

This post first appeared on the blog of the World Economic Forum http://forumblog.org/

Guest Blog from CEO Erin Ganju: A Mother's Day Tribute

It is hard to argue that gender disparity in education no longer exists when one realizes that of the 793 million illiterate people in the world, two-thirds are female. Likewise, it would be difficult to challenge the importance of providing girls with an education, as we know that educating females is the most powerful and effective way to address global poverty. Educated mothers are more likely to educate their own children—ending the cycle of illiteracy in one generation. What is perhaps less definitive is how best to tackle this issue. With many barriers facing girls in the developing world that go far beyond simple economics, including cultural bias, tradition and safety concerns, the answer is admittedly not simple. Yet, for many areas in the world, one of the answers may lie in the synergy of parental support and the support of women in their families and communities.

Parental involvement plays a paramount role in shaping girls' expectations for themselves and deciding how long they will remain in school. As CEO of Room to Read, I have had the great fortune of meeting many parents during my travels. While of varying cultures, a common thread unites them all—a strong commitment to supporting their daughters' education. Even when the prevailing culture may not place a high value to girls' education, and despite the fact that they may not have been personally afforded such opportunities when they were young, many parents still remain steadfastly committed to the dream of having their daughters receive a quality education, and seeing them graduate from secondary school and perhaps even attending a university.

In Andhra Pradesh, India, a mother of one of our Girls' Education participants remarked, "I can now dream of my only daughter going for higher studies, getting a job and earning her own money. She won't have to live like us." In Siem Reap, Cambodia, a mother shared with me, "I am illiterate. I don't want her to have the same fate. I don't have an inheritance for her. I know only that knowledge will be a priceless and lifelong gift for her."

Parents' commitment to their daughter's education may also be reflected in other ways. I have visited some of the homes of our Girls' Education students, and been inspired to meet parents who have shown their commitment by utilizing the very best space in their small family home to create a study area. Additionally, despite the challenge of long work hours and great distances to their daughters' schools, 88 percent of parents and guardians find a way to attend parent workshops we offer.

It must be recognized, however, that in many countries, the sphere of parental influence is often extended to others, most often women. Grandmothers and aunts play an important role in ensuring that girls remain in school. I met a grandmother in Zambia who donated her time and energy to volunteering at the local school. In Vietnam, one elderly grandmother noted about her granddaughter Thu, "I cook for her so she can save time to concentrate on her studies. I don't want her to get married soon. I want her to study to get a good job first." This level of devotion is also reflected in the words of an aunt from Laos who remarked upon hearing that her niece would be part of our Girls' Education program, "When I heard Inkham was selected by Room to Read, I couldn't sleep. I felt as if I had won a kilogram of gold."

As another extension to familial influence, other women outside the family can serve as role models in the lives of young girls. Room to Read has invested in "social mobilizers," a term we use for women in the community that work directly with our Girls' Education students to serve as a personal advocate on their path to graduation from secondary school. This role may take many forms. In Bangladesh, it may include advocating against early marriage so that girls can remain in school longer. In Zambia, it may include exploring an attendance issue that has resulted because the walk to school may be too dangerous or far. As members of the community themselves, our social mobilizers understand the pressures that these girls face and can serve to exemplify the educated, empowered women they may become one day.

As a mother of a six-year-old daughter, I have been humbled to witness the extraordinary lengths taken by parents and women in the communities around the world to ensure a girl's education, despite the odds. Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, "Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; a mother's secret hope outlives them all." On this Mother's Day, I salute not only dedicated mothers everywhere, but all women who recognize that a mother's hope starts with education and devote a part of themselves every day to ensure this for the girls in their lives and communities.

This blog post was adapted from A Mother's Day Tribute: The Role of Women and Parenting in Girls' Education Around the World, originally published by The Huffington Post on May 10, 2012.

Guest Blog from CEO Erin Ganju: A Call for Advocacy on International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on March 8, not only provides an opportunity for all women to celebrate the progress we have made, but also a moment to stop and reflect on how we may ensure that the next generation of women are empowered to reach their full potential.

Despite the substantial advancements in many countries, some very sobering statistics remain. Of the 793 million illiterate people in the world, two-thirds are female. And although there has been a worldwide increase in the enrollment of girls in primary schools, there remains a substantial gender gap at the secondary level. This is particularly true in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, where—according to a World Development Report—there were only 66 female tertiary students for every 100 male students.

It is widely known that educating girls is one of the most powerful and effective ways to address global poverty, but the barriers to education facing girls in the developing world go far beyond simple economics. Girls are often tapped to help in the home, including several hours of housework and sibling care before and after school, and parents may be reluctant to allow their daughters to trek the lengthy distances to school. Cultural bias only compounds these issues.

One of the most powerful ways to support girls to overcome these barriers is by acting as advocates. At Room to Read, our advocacy efforts include enlisting family support, engaging with governments and communities, and providing life skills workshops for girls. We also employ social mobilizers, women who serve as role models and counselors, and help girls navigate their individual journeys.

The power of advocacy is clear in stories like that of Suma Tharu, one of our Girls' Education scholars who was invited to perform at this week's Women in the World Summit, hosted by The Daily Beast and Newsweek in New York City. Such an invitation would no doubt have been unimaginable to Suma as a young girl trapped as an indentured servant in Nepal’s illegal Kamlari system, but today she stands as a thriving example of what a quality education and a lot of determination can yield. At 19, Suma is expected to complete secondary school in March 2014, and has plans to become an advocate herself.

Despite all the challenges that Suma has faced, her thoughts are focused on the needs of other girls. At this week’s summit, Suma will share with the world a song she wrote about the challenges faced by girls in the Kamlari system—giving a voice to a community whose struggles are often overlooked. We first heard Suma's song when she shared it with the producers of 10x10, a feature film and social action campaign aimed at highlighting the stories of 10 girls from 10 countries as they struggle to earn an education. When she returns to Nepal, Suma plans to become a health teacher, so that she may educate and empower other young girls.

The need for advocacy is not limited to girls and women in developing countries.  In 1950, only one-third of working-age women in America had a paid job, a figure that has now been doubled. Despite this incredible advancement however, women still represent less than 15 percent of corporate executives and board members at top companies. More alarmingly, only three percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are women.

Although there are undoubtedly numerous contributory factors inherent in such inequalities, a recent study revealed that one of the key issues for women as they seek to advance in business is a lack of senior executives who would advocate for them; someone who could help navigate the internal politics in companies. Men were much more likely to have such an advocate to help guide and facilitate their advancement.

So on International Women’s Day, let us all look toward ways to advocate for girls and women—those in our personal lives, professional networks or in the world at large. Perhaps Suma’s courage can guide and inspire us, an extraordinary example that no matter what challenges we may be faced with, there may still be room in our lives to advocate for another.

Watch the live stream of Suma's performance in New York today at 6:30 PM EST or Saturday, March 10 at 11:00 AM EST, and find out how you can support girls like her across the developing world on our website.

This blog post was adapted from International Women's Day: Advancing the Next Generation of Gals, originally published by the Huffington Post on March 8, 2012.

Guest Blog from Vietnam: CEO Erin Ganju Celebrates Reading Day in Can Tho Province

“Do you like to read?” asked the teacher.  “Yes!” shouted the students.

“Who wants to read now?” Hands darted up and children excitedly ran to the three corners of the school yard set up with varying reading related activities.

Recently, I had the great fortune of attending Tan Thanh Primary School’s summer Reading Day in the Can Tho Province of Vietnam's Mekong Delta. The school provides instruction for 1st through 5th grade students, and was selected to participate in Room to Read’s library program in 2008.

Our Room to Read Country Director in Vietnam, Mr. Tien Phong Le, explained that Reading Day was initiated last year as a way to engage students in reading during the summer break, providing a fun and creative way to reinforce the importance of reading on a regular basis. The event immediately proved to be very popular among the students.

Last year, Room to Read was actively involved in planning the event, but this summer the school wholeheartedly embraced Reading Day, and organized everything themselves.

About 125 students attended this year, and participated in three main activities: free reading, in which children independently engage with a wide variety of books; storytelling, in which teachers dynamically read aloud and pose questions about the stories; and drawing, in which children enjoy illustrating parts of their favorite books. The school yard was buzzing with activity as students eagerly ran from one activity to the next—hurrying so as not to miss anything.

As part of my participation in Reading Day, I sat and read quietly with some of the students for a while. Then, one girl very sweetly took it upon herself to read one of her favorite stories aloud to me in Vietnamese—perhaps she thought that would help me understand the Vietnamese book better!

Next, I offered to “read” a story to the students near me, which I did by making up a story from the pictures in a book (since all the books were in Vietnamese). Our Room to Read Local Language Publishing Program Officer, Ms. Quynh Le, kindly assisted me by translating my story for the children. I am happy to report that my “spur of the moment” story received more than a few giggles, even from my own five-year-old daughter, Julia, who was traveling with me and happily joined in the Reading Day festivities.

At the end of the day, each student was rewarded with a new notebook for their attendance. A few lucky students earned “Excellent Participation Awards” and received additional notebooks, bookmarks and pens. It was interesting to note that the ratio of girls to boys receiving awards was about 4:1, although I’m not sure if that indicates that the girls are better at reading or participating!

We left Tan Thanh Primary School with fond memories of our morning spent in celebration of reading. Julia proclaimed that she would happily attend a similar event at her own school back home, reminding me yet again of the universal love of reading shared by children everywhere…and their right to experience it.

Learn more about our work in Vietnam.

A Picture Book is Worth a Thousand Words: CEO Erin Ganju Responds to The New York Times

We’ve long dreamt about the day the front page of The New York Times runs a story on children’s books (read it here: Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children).  Children’s books are what we live and breathe at Room to Read because of what they contribute to the development of a child’s literacy and learning skills.  It’s what we believe has the power to change the world and entire generations of communities living in poverty, particularly in the developing world.

Unfortunately, The New York Times’ story wasn’t exactly what we had envisioned, as it centered on the loss of retail sales of picture books.  In a down economy, that’s not surprising. What was surprising is that the decline in sales isn’t because children are no longer drawn to colorfully illustrated tomes; rather because parents are no longer recognizing the value picture books have in catalyzing their children’s literacy skills development.

Apparently, parents have begun pressing their kindergartners and first-graders to leave the picture books behind and move on to more text-heavy “chapter books.” One children’s book publisher noted a 35 percent drop in the number of picture books published in the last few years. The primary reason, according to those in the industry, is pressure from parents who are very mindful of increasingly rigorous standardized testing in schools.

We’ve actually seen the opposite hold true in developing nations, where picture books (or story books) remain a crucial tool in laying a solid foundation for literacy and life-long learning among children. In places like Sri Lanka, South Africa and other countries where Room to Read works, many children come from largely oral storytelling traditions and the shift to the written word is a difficult transition. Many of these children have never been read to aloud, and they find it difficult to relate the “spoken” word to the “written” word.

Picture books help bridge this gap because they give children the opportunity to explore, discover, learn, and imagine through stories and characters. Books inform and transfer knowledge, and are critical to the development of a child’s reading skills -- including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Picture books kick-start that journey because they combine visual and verbal narratives, often presenting imagery from children’s everyday lives which helps them connect life experiences to the pictures, information, events, and text. Even more, by discussing what they see in story books, children ask questions  -- which also helps develop their speaking skills, a key component of literacy. 

Literacy experts quoted in the news article were quick to point out that picture books are not for dummies, and they praise the genre for helping develop a child’s critical thinking skills. As a mother of a four-and-a-half-year-old, I couldn’t agree more.

My daughter Julia loves to use picture books as the basis of inspiration for story time with her captivated audience of stuffed animals. We’ll make a day of going to the library next to the park, and she will spend as much time selecting her next 10-15 books for the week as she does running around the playground. She loves books with lots of pictures because it gives her a sense of independence to “read” the story through the pictures. Now, at bedtime, Julia often wants to read me a story, and it’s my greatest joy to see her develop an enjoyment of reading -- reading is not a task or something she has to do, but something she does for play. And that’s key because the path to creating lifelong, independent readers starts when children see reading as fun and pleasurable on their own.

At Room to Read we’re committed to education, and so obviously, it’s a wonderful thing that children are able to read chapter books at an early age. But if you focus on just the skills part and prematurely force children to get to a certain level, it may be at the cost of developing good habits of reading. So we caution well-intentioned parents against hurrying to clear their kids’ bookshelf of story books, because in doing so, you’re clearing away the potential for a connection to books that children will cherish their entire lives. Instead, let’s work to develop a generation of independent readers who love to read, and read to learn.

Read more about our Local Language Publishing program on our website.

 

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.

A Precious 30 Minutes for the Children of Vietnam

It was years in the making for Room to Read Vietnam. Back and forth with the various levels of education officials. Countless meetings, schools visits, negotiations, extensive research, and reams of paperwork. But finally, here they were, Room to Read Vietnam’s Program Director, Thuy Nguyen, and the Vice-Director of the Department of Education and Training of Vinh Long province, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which would having lasting effects on the children and families in their community.

What was at stake was 30 minutes of reading time every week for over 3,700 primary school children in Vinh Long, one of five provinces along the Mekong Delta where Room to Read has programs. Thirty minutes a week to put away all other school work and just read, for the pure enjoyment of it.

Erin Ganju, Room to Read's Co-founder and CEO, fortuitously happened to be in Vietnam at the time of the MOU signing, which made the elaborate ceremony -- replete with multiple speeches and presentations -- even more special to the Vietnam staff. Our local teams cheered when the signatures on the document dried and the “reading period” program was officially launched.

The goal of a “reading period” is to improve the reading skills of primary school children, but to do it in a way that will help kids associate reading with fun. Our teams will work closely with 255 teachers to help them come up with creative ideas for reading period activities, including reading games like “guess what happens next” or “what if," play-writing and drawing pictures of story characters.

The "reading periods" will initially take place in 13 of our libraries every other week, but eventually the program will grow to weekly periods. We know that schools in other districts and provinces are eager to sign onto the program, and once this pilot program proves successful, we're looking forward to sharing!

Following the launch ceremony, our Vietnam team set the wheels in motion to get teachers trained, materials ordered and children on their way to reading. The staff has had many years to prepare for this moment, and they didn’t want to delay the program progress any longer. As the "reading period" proposal states, “We believe that dedicated reading periods in schools will set us on the path to reach our common dream of a New Generation of Young Readers.”

To date, Room to Read has established 460 Reading Rooms in six provinces of Vietnam. To read more about our work in Vietnam and our Reading Room program, please visit our website.

Guest Blog from CEO Erin Ganju: My Favorite Week

This week is our annual Country Management Conference, a time when our management teams from around the world gather to discuss strategies and plan for the following year.  Erin Ganju, our CEO, submitted this guest blog following the opening of this year's conference in Kathmandu, Nepal.

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This is always one of my favorite weeks of the year. Every summer, the management teams from each of Room to Read’s offices, from San Francisco to Bangladesh, converge for our Country Management Conference (CMC). It’s a week that is both exhausting and exhilarating, as we spend countless hours sharing best practices, learning about challenges and successes, and setting the strategic direction for the organization for years to come. In the past, we’ve rotated the location of the conference to a different Room to Read country in order of the year our country offices were established. This year we made an exception to our own rule and brought the CMC back to Nepal in honor of Room to Read’s 10-year Anniversary.

As we sit and discuss our first decade and make plans for our second, I sometimes find myself pondering how we got here -– building an organization that defends the global right for every child to grow up with a quality education, and, at the same time, empowering leadership in each country to have the flexibility to contextualize how we deliver our programs.  It is a complex balancing act, but one that has resulted in depth and richness in our programming.

When I look around the room, I get my answer -– for around me is a melting pot of incredible personal perseverance and commitment to providing education to children now and in the future. It is fascinating to hear my colleagues discuss how we can enhance our library program, launch literacy pilots, improve government partnerships or conduct life skills workshops for our girl scholars through the lens of the real in-country challenges they face and the solutions they develop on the front lines.

Dinesh Shrestha, Room to Read's Co-Founder and Regional Director of Human Resources and Administration in Asia, embodies the essence of what Room to Read has achieved in the past ten years. He has demonstrated and helped develop our model of local leadership, one of the cornerstones of our success. Like Dinesh, each country director brings a personal story that reveals the heart of what drives them to work so hard for educational opportunities for children. For example, Kall Kann, our country director in Cambodia, grew up separated from his family as a young teenager due to the Khmer Rouge and had to struggle himself to get an education. Wiseman Ngwata, our regional director in Africa, has devoted more than 30 years to ensure that the quality of the education in classrooms meets the dream of parents to have their children be able to read and write. Sunisha Ahuja, our country director in India, has been a role model for women breaking through the glass ceiling and showing generations of girls in our Girls’ Education program that it is possible for women to play a significant leadership role. And Chris Mothupi, our country director in South Africa, who experienced the denigration of apartheid South Africa (and blogged about it last week), yet was determined to complete his education and share that gift with generations of children.

Each person at our conference this week brings a compelling story to the table and each story is very different from the person sitting next to them. And yet, they all share one quality -- a personal commitment to our mission of bringing education to children in the developing world. After a week of long hours and seemingly endless meetings, we will all return to our home offices, energized and ready to take the next step in Room to Read’s success. Millions of children are counting on us, and with the diverse and talented team we have in place, I’m confident we will fulfill, and likely exceed, our commitment.

Read more about our Leadership team.