Room to Read | 2021 Annual Report

What does education equal for you?

Remember the feeling of accomplishment when you sounded out words as a child? Or drifting off to sleep to a bedtime story that let you explore faraway places from the comfort and safety of your home? Or the first book that helped you see the world in a new light?

If so, then you know that education equals confidence, curiosity, empathy and community.

Education is a great equalizer, putting dreams within reach for those born into the most difficult circumstances.

Yet, more than 773 million adults — two-thirds of them women — still lack basic reading and writing skills.

Room to Read is changing that reality by helping children become lifelong learners who choose their own futures.

In a world where many challenges have yet to be solved — from the climate crisis to the global pandemic to growing economic divides — education can lead to greater understanding, bigger breakthroughs and a more just society. On an individual level, education equals opportunity, growth and endless possibilities. Education also equals joy, which we see every day when children read books that validate their experiences and provide windows to new worlds. As you look through these pages, we invite you to consider what education means for you. Chances are that the opportunity to learn has had a profound effect on your life choices. By supporting Room to Read, you open up similar possibilities for children around the world.

EDUCATION = RESULTS Children Benefited EDUCATION = LEARNING Literacy Program Updates EDUCATION = CHANGE Girls’ Education Program Updates EDUCATION = COMMUNITY Partner Highlights

2

10

20

28

Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator