Room to Read Ouick Fact Sheet

Room to Read believes that World Change Starts with Educated The Challenge Children.® We envision a world in which all children can pursue a quality 774 MILLION PEOPLE that enables them to reach their full potential and contribute in the world are illiterate about 16% of to their community and the world. the world’s adults. Of the illiterate, 2/3 are women and 250 million are children. Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children 61 MILLION PRIMARY in Africa and Asia by focusing on and gender equality in SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner are out of school. The majority live organizations and governments, we develop literacy skills and a habit in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. of reading among primary school children, and support girls to 5.4 MILLION TEACHERS complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed are needed to achieve universal primary in school and beyond. education by 2015, more than 1/3 of them in sub-Saharan Africa. 97 COUNTRIES have not achieved gender parity at the secondary school level.

Our Results NEARLY 9 MILLION CHILDREN have been provided better access to education through Room Our Programs to Read since 2000. Our Literacy program enables primary Our Girls’ Education program supports OVER 1,600 SCHOOLS & school children to become independent girls to complete secondary school readers. Room to Read focuses its efforts with the skills necessary to negotiate 16,000 LIBRARIES have been on developing reading skills and the established by Room to Read. key life decisions. Room to Read focuses habit of reading in primary school-aged on girls transitioning to secondary school 1,000 CHILDREN’S BOOKS children because literacy is the foundation because that is where the biggest— IN 27 LOCAL LANGUAGES for all future learning. We do this by and most permanent—gaps in gender have been published, representing establishing school libraries, publishing equality in education take place. We do more than 8.6 million books. original children’s books in local languages, this by creating more girl-friendly school constructing child-friendly classrooms environments, financially supporting MORE THAN 13 MILLION and supporting educators with training girls to attend and remain in school CHILDREN’S BOOKS have been and resources to teach reading, writing through graduation, and providing female distributed, including original Room to and active listening more effectively. mentorship and life skills training to assist Read titles, donated English- and local- girls in making informed life decisions. language books. MORE THAN 25,000 GIRLS have been supported by Room to Read’s Girls’ Education program. For more information, email Room to Read at [email protected] or visit us at roomtoread.org. Follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/roomtoread) or on Facebook (facebook.com/roomtoread). Recognition HIGH-IMPACT GIVING Recognized in Barron’s magazine “25 Best Givers” list (2009, 2010), and The Global Journal’s “Top 100 NGOs in the World” (2012, 2013), and Great Nonprofits’ “Top Rated” list (2013). FISCAL EXCELLENCE Awarded Charity Navigator’s Our Model highest 4-star rating for sound fiscal management for eight years in a Invest locally. We hire and empower local are conducted every three months to assess row—a recognition that only 1 percent teams to run our in-country operations, and progress; offer needed training; and provide of their rated charities can claim. we partner with local communities and additional books and educational materials. challenge them to co-invest in each project. Manage efficiently and effectively. UNESCO RECOGNITION This ensures their active participation and We ensure maximum investment in our Won the UNESCO 2011 Confucius Prize sense of ownership. programs. For every $1 Room to Read receives, for Literacy recognizing excellence and Build community capacity. We ensure 84 cents goes directly to programs. We also inspiration in the literacy field. we are always contributing to growing maintain a diversified donor base with 51 SOCIAL INNOVATOR the capacity of the local community. For percent of our funding coming from outside Chosen as Twitter’s first Corporate example, in our book publishing program, North America. Social Innovation partner and won the we hold workshops with local authors and Create a global movement. We have Skoll Foundation’s Award for Social illustrators to empower a growing pool of over 50 chapters in 16 countries and over Entrepreneurship 3 times. local talent. 11,000 volunteers that network, plan events, Improve program quality. and raise awareness for Room to Read. Our We continuously track our programs chapters collectively raise approximately 30 through ongoing research, monitoring and percent of our annual operating budget. Press evaluation. For example, during the first three years after a library is established, site visits

Our Reach

Room to Read currently operates in 10 countries throughout Asia and Africa.

ASIA

Nepal Top Global Corporate Funders AFRICA

Tanzania

Zambia

World Change Starts with Educated Children.® www.roomtoread.org