Room to Read Blog

Guest Blog by John Wood: Creating Room to Read...and Putting it all on Paper

The following is a guest post by John Wood, founder and board co-chair.

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It’s hard to believe that it has been almost six years since Leaving Microsoft to Change the World was first published. I am so grateful that the book introduced Room to Read’s work to thousands of supporters and catalyzed a whirlwind of activity.

What I thought would be a three-week book tour seemed to morph into a perma-tour.  Our supporters, chapters and corporate partners hosted events around the world that allowed us to share Room to Read’s mission with new audiences.  There was also enormous media interest.  

I found myself across the table from Charlie Rose, speaking to reporters from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times, and even sitting on Oprah’s couch!  The book’s release brought with it an unprecedented number of donations, a flood of passionate volunteers and a kinetic energy that set Room to Read on a path to scale with quality. As a result, today over 7.5 million children in 10 countries have now benefited from our work.  This next chapter in our organization’s history brought with it many challenges and successes, including learning to scale rapidly while maintaining our vision, fundraising during an economic downturn and learning to adapt our programs to new countries and regions.

As the organization grew and evolved, many of you suggested we refresh the Leaving Microsoft story. Building a world-class organization and watching our vision take off was one of the most exciting times of my life, and I am excited to announce that those anecdotes and more are all chronicled in my new book Creating Room to Read: A Story of Hope in the Battle for Global Literacy, released today by Viking, a Penguin imprint.

In addition to sharing the Room to Read story with the world in print, I am once again hitting the road to share it in person with supporters around the world. As you read this, my 14-city North American book tour has already begun, with international stops to follow in March and April including Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Singapore, Sydney, and Tokyo.

Why go through the time and effort to write a second book?  Mainly because there is so much more to the Room to Read story that I want to share, particularly the heroes behind our organization’s growth—my co-founders, the worldwide staff, loyal investors, passionate chapter leaders and board members. I’ve always said, “I don’t want to be the leader of an organization. I want to be one of many leaders of a global movement.” None of Room to Read’s incredible results would be possible without those who are in the trenches making the organization’s engine run day after day. An authentic account of how we moved forward in the face of adversity, Creating Room to Read is a “we”, rather than an “I” tale and provides a window into what our successful trajectory has looked like.

Over the coming months, as I run through countless airports, drive to book signings and put on my best blue shirt for media interviews, I hope our paths cross. This book was truly a labor of love, and should you pick up a copy, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Creating Room to Read is your story as much as it is my own.   And so, enjoy “our book”. It’s an honor to work with you to make the world a better place for children who would have otherwise lost the lottery of life.

Learn more at www.roomtoread.org/creatingroomtoread.

The Malalas of the World Need Us to Step Up: A Guest Blog by John Wood in Honor of "Malala Day"

Malala Yousafzai's bravery and activism have captured the world's attention while also providing an indelible reminder of the critical work that lies ahead to truly change perceptions around gender equality in education. Sadly, Pakistan is just one of many countries around the world where gender parity is marginalized or ignored. As "Malala Day" is recognized around the world on Nov. 10, I hope the global community can come together and agree to focus on this issue not just when tragedy strikes, but rather tirelessly each day until we change not just perceptions, but behavior among those that stand in the way of investing in the next generation of leaders.

This is clearly a big issue -- after all, over 100 million girls across the developing world wake up each morning and do not go to school. We must solve this problem, and if we don't then we can't act surprised when global poverty and inequality continue to be perpetuated.

Our team at Room to Read has worked on this issue for over ten years since the day I quit Microsoft in order to devote my life to the quest for education for the poorest of the poor. One young girl whose education we support is named Hajera. She is 11 years old and is one of the 17,000 girls enrolled in Room to Read's Girls' Education program. Hajera was born in the rural and remote Sirajganj district in Bangladesh that is prone to seasonal flooding. Hajera has never gone beyond the river that surrounds her tiny village. After the passing away of her mother two years ago, Hajera, the youngest of her siblings, was forced to drop out of school to stay at home to tend to domestic duties. Admittedly, not a very ambitious student academically, Hajera still was saddened to leave school since it was an environment where she had developed friendships and could be carefree from the struggles of her home life. Hajera's father, a farmer, re-married almost immediately and there was little affection or support shown for Hajera by her new stepmother.

Education, in Hajera's own words, was her only salvation to build a promising future and she was determined to regain that opportunity.

Change for Hajera came when she learned about Ms. Jannatul Firdoz Lovely or "Lovely Appa," a term of endearment that the girls in the community use to refer to her. Lovely Appa is what Room to Read calls a social mobilizer, women whom we employ to work directly on the ground with our Girls' Education students as their personal advocates on the path to graduation. This can take the form of a meeting with a girl's teacher to get updates on where she might benefit from extra tutoring, advocating against early marriage so that girls can remain in school longer or working with a girl's family to solve a problem with attendance because of a walk to school that is either too dangerous or too far.

As members of the community themselves, our social mobilizers understand the challenges and pressures facing these girls, and they exemplify the educated, empowered women we hope our students will grow up to become. By providing our students with these positive role models, we give them support that extends far beyond material resources.

After overhearing her peers saying that they could easily discuss any problems they had with Lovely Appa, Hajera gathered the courage to talk with her and express her desire to return to school. She shared her background and the reluctance of her father and brothers to spend the family's money on her education. Comforted by Lovely Appa's words of encouragement, Hajera returned home. A few months later, a joyous Hajera received an unexpected visit from Lovely Appa with the news that she had been selected to enroll in Room to Read's Girls' Education program.

Daring to dream of a new life, Hajera is now studying harder than ever before and seeking additional tutoring when needed. Due to Room to Read's life skills classes, which equip girls with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in school and beyond, Hajera has learned communication and interpersonal skills to negotiate with her stepmother. They have come to an agreement so that Hajera helps with the house chores when possible and in return, is granted uninterrupted time to study. Hajera's father and brothers are now supportive of her education; her oldest brother even gives her pocket money and clothes to help support her. With a new outlook on life, Hajera is destined for success.

Room to Read's mission to transform the lives of girls in the developing world through education is a bold goal, which I have always believed attracts bold people. Malala's story re-inspires our team to continue to think big and reminds us of the task ahead -- with over 17,000 girls like Malala in our Girls' Education program currently we seek to add at least 10,000 more girls to the program over the next three years.

A global icon of the importance of universal education, Malala has galvanized the forces that seek to turn the tide on gender inequality. It is a cause that will undeniably yield a healthier, safer, and economically empowered world and we will all benefit from investing in that kind of future.

It all comes down to a simple question: Who is going to win? The forces of darkness who deny education to girls? Or those of us who believe in the power of education, and believe in it deeply enough to fight for it every day?

This blog originally appeared in The Huffington Post on November 7, 2012 as part of a series called "Malala's Impact," which highlights the need for global education.  

Show and Tell: Half the Sky Movement Draws a Crowd in NYC

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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This past Monday, Room to Read was honored to be featured in the ground-breaking documentary Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. In honor of the occasion, our New York Chapter held a special screening of the documentary and invited special guests Nicholas Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn and producer Maro Chermayeff to share their experiences shooting the film, along with founder John Wood. Amy Powell, New York Chapter Leader, who moderated the conversation, shared these photos from the inspirational evening.

Learn more about the Half the Sky Movement.

Supporters Turn to Endurance Sports to Fuel Global Movement for Education

At Room to Read, we are constantly inspired by the creative, clever and sometimes crazy ways that individuals find to raise funds and awareness for our programs—from bake sales to book swaps, marathons to mountain climbing, we have seen it all!

This year in particular, Room to Read supporters around the globe are turning to endurance events to galvanize support for our mission in their communities. Over the next few months, adrenaline-fueled teams from Hong Kong, Sydney, Switzerland and New York City will run, walk, bike and climb their way to world change. Here are a few of those extraordinary stories:

Sydney City2Surf

In 2009—the year Room to Read’s first Australian chapter was established in Sydney—a few volunteers decided to run the City2Surf 14-kilometer race as s social activity. In 2010, they took it to the next level, gathering a team of more than 100 runners who raised over AU$30,000 for two straight years.

This year, the team—dubbed the Yak Pack (in honor of our good friend Zak the Yak)—is at it again, and has even recruited a local celebrity to join them  for this year’s race on August 12. Actor Pacharo Mzembe ran across the entire continent of Australia earlier this year to raise funds and awareness for literacy, and now he’s putting his running shoes back on to join the Yack Pack in their fourth year at the City2Surf. “I'm all about showing my appreciation for the quality education I received having come from a developing nation,” said Pacharo. “There are children around the world who are not afforded the same opportunity."

Jungfrau Marathon

Inspired by their counterparts Down Under, a few members of the Room to Read Zurich Chapter assembled their own Yak Pack this year to run the Jungfrau Marathon in the Swiss Alps. In addition to longtime friends of Room to Read, some of our very own staff will participate in the event, including founder John Wood and regional director for Asia Jon Beaulieu!

The steepest race of its kind, the course of the Jungfrau Marathon includes more than a mile of elevation. In order to keep motivated, the team has challenged themselves to raise enough money for at least one year of girls’ education for each kilometer they run, or as John Wood puts it, "no matter how much pain we're in, each kilometer we'll think to ourselves, 'one more girl goes to school.'"

Vietnam Bike Adventure

After reading John Wood’s book Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, Ashwin Subramaniam of Singapore knew he wanted to make a difference, but wasn’t sure how. The answer came in the form of a bicycle, which he will ride across Vietnam this November—along with 15 others—in support of Room to Read's Girls’ Education program.

Winding up the Vietnamese coast from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, Ashwin and his fellow travelers will hit the road for nine days and document their journey on film. "This idea was born out of my dual passions for adventure sports and social development," says Ashwin.

Inspired to start your own campaign for Room to Read? Find out how!

Show and Tell: New York Gala Draws Influential Crowd

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's New York Chapter celebrated in style at the Midtown Loft in Manhattan. Their Spring Gala, designed to raise funds and awareness for our work around the globe, was a resounding success and even drew a few familiar faces, including author and journalist Katie Couric and CNN correspondent Poppy Harlow. The evening included a lively auction and an appearance by Room to Read Founder and Board Co-Chair John Wood.

Here are some photos, courtesy of our New York Chapter Leaders and photographer Jane Bruce:

Learn more about our Chapter Network, and get involved with Room to Read where you live.

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.

Hitting Another Room to Read Milestone: 10 Million Reasons to Celebrate

Today, in the Tien Giang Province of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, Room to Read celebrated a milestone eleven years in the making.

At a ceremony held at Ngu Hiep 2 Primary School, founder John Wood and the Room to Read Vietnam team delivered a brand new box of books to the school’s library, symbolizing the 10 millionth book donated to our network of over 12,000 libraries in nine developing countries.

The emblematic book, Floating Market, is a Room to Read original title produced through our Local Language Publishing program, which comprise more than half of all books donated to date. It is also a “big book,” of which we’ve printed many in Vietnam—designed to help teachers and librarians facilitate shared reading activities.

The commemorative ceremony was indeed a moment of reflection and pride for our hard-working team, but most of all it was about the children we work with. The day’s festivities included literacy games, story time and a workshop lead by one of our talented illustrators, and attended by a bustling crowd of enthusiastic young readers.

Below are several photos of this morning’s ceremony, which we hope you’ll enjoy. After all, without our passionate community of supporters around the world, none of this would be possible. On behalf of the entire Room to Read family, thank you for joining us in our belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children, and for helping make it a reality.

 

 

Read the full press release related to our 10 millionth book milestone on our website.

Guest Blog from John Wood: Kicking off the 2011 Clinton Global Initiative

The excitement is palpable as the world descends upon New York for today’s opening of the 2011 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). I’ve been lucky enough to attend CGI on behalf of Room to Read for the past five years, and now sit on CGI’s Advisory Board. Every year I’m in awe of how the forum has turned into a catalyst for game-changing partnership and collaboration in the field of international development. Each year, I leave with new connections and new ideas that we have been able to implement to make a difference for millions of children across the developing world.

This year’s CGI will be no different. Room to Read will unveil an innovative report, the inspiration for which was born at a meeting convened by CGI last spring. At the meeting, Cory Heyman, our chief program officer, met with representatives from FHI 360 and Amenons Nos Filles á l’Ecole (ANFE), two other nonprofits working in the field of girls’ education. Despite the multitude of organizations around the world dedicated to girls’ education, they noted, there has been very little research dedicated to identifying the factors that contribute to girls’ success in reaching higher education.

Together they questioned: If we know that gender bias, safety concerns, early marriage, pregnancy and financial disadvantage are major roadblocks to tertiary education, then what are the success factors that can help girls in the developing world overcome them? In other words—let’s not focus on the barriers, let’s learn about the real-world solutions that actually work.

As the idea for a study identifying such factors began to take shape, The MasterCard Foundation, with whom we first connected at CGI 2010, stepped in to provide guidance and financial support—kicking off six months of rigorous research.

The fact is, even under the most challenging conditions, there are young women across the developing world charting new territory and taking the bold step of seeking higher education. We wanted to hear from them—in their own words—about the factors that were positively contributing to their success.

Our team conducted in-person interviews with 160 of these trailblazing young women in Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India and Mauritania, and found that despite political, cultural, and economic differences between their communities, the girls identified very similar success factors as being instrumental in their ability to reach university.

The young women we met shared personal stories that illuminated their common attributes of determination and courage. Many cited the encouragement of their families, teachers and communities as being paramount to their success, coupled with the material and emotional support they'd received from nonprofit organizations.

For Room to Read, these findings will help shape our Girls’ Education program curriculum, which we’ve built out over the years to go beyond financial support and to include extensive life skills training and mentoring as well as family and community engagement.

By releasing the final report at this year’s CGI Annual Meeting, we hope that these girls’ voices can reach across borders and help shape best practices in the field of girls’ education for years to come.

Read the complete report, Through Their Eyes, In Their Voices: Young women in five countries share their experiences navigating tertiary education, on our website.

Tune in tomorrow at 3:20pm EST to watch John Wood answer your questions live from CGI in an interview with Randi Zuckerberg broadcast on Facebook.

Guest Blog from John Wood: From Yak Bells to Closing Bells

From the earliest days of Room to Read, we have enjoyed a tradition of ringing a yak bell from Nepal in honor of each significant victory. Be it an investor funding a new school, a program milestone like our 10,000th library, or having made a key hire, the yak bell provides an opportunity for the Room to Read team to pause during very long days, take a deep breath, and celebrate with our colleagues.

This week, there is a new bell to ring–the daily closing bell of the NASDAQ stock exchange. 

One of the key reasons for Room to Read’s meteoric growth during our first decade has been the support of the business and financial communities. Companies like Atlassian, Barclays Capital, Bloomberg, Caterpillar, Credit Suisse, the Financial Times, Goldman Sachs and Jones Day have embraced our model of using education to empower people across the developing world to help themselves. Executives from such companies have joined our global Boards, hosted fundraising events, and been active members of our chapter network in 56 cities around the world.

 
  So it is with great pride that today Room to Read has been invited to ring the closing bell on the NASDAQ stock exchange. I am delivering the lunch keynote today in New York at an annual shipping industry conference called Marine Money on the topic of “Why Capitalists Should Care about Education in the Developing World.” Each year, the Marine Money team is invited to  ring the bell as the day’s frantic trading comes to a close. I was completely surprised last week when the event organizers emailed to say, “We’d rather see Room to Read in the spotlight, and have the world learn more about your team’s great work.”

And what a spotlight it will be. My short remarks, along with the bell ringing, will be streamed live online here. It will also be broadcast in New York’s bustling Times Square, via a 100-foot tall electronic billboard. Hopefully it will inspire the business community to continue to think big about the power of education to change lives.

The first time I delivered a yak-load of books to schools on Nepal’s Annapurna Circuit over ten years ago, I could never have imagined our little start-up receiving such an honor. From yak bells to the closing bell–we couldn’t have made it this far without you, our incredible community of passionate supporters. Go team!

 

Learn more about our corporate partners on our website.

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.