Room to Read

Room to Read seeks to intervene early in the lives of children and help provide them with an education and the lifelong gift of literacy. To increase the likelihood for success, Room to Read enlists community involvement. Their challenge grants require villages to raise a significant portion of the overall expenditure (through donated land, labor, materials and cash) for building a new school, thereby allowing our cash investments to go further so that we can help more villages. They also establish libraries, computer labs and language labs in conjunction with schools whereby they contribute shelves, desk, and chairs. Their challenge grants act as catalysts for community building while also maximizing the local participation and expertise brought to our programs to ensure they are run efficiently and effectively. Room to Read is a dynamic, results-oriented organization. Since their inception as a non-profit entity in 2000, they have impacted the lives of over 755,000 children by: -Constructing 140 schools -Establishing over 2,230 libraries -Publishing 58 new local language children's book titles -Donating over 1.2 million local language and English children's books -Establishing over 57 computer and 20 language labs -Funding over 1,750 long-term scholarships for girls