Room to Read Fact Sheet THE CHALLENGE 750 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE WORLD ARE ILLITERATE 2/3 ARE WOMEN AND GIRLS 262 MILLION CHILDREN ARE NOT LEARNING IN PRIMARY SCHOOL OUR RESULTS Room to Read believes that World Change Starts with Educated Children.® We envision a world 16.8M+ CHILDREN in which all children can pursue a quality BENEFITED by Room to Read’s work education that prepares them to be fulfilled since 2000. and make positive change — in their families, communities and the world. 26M+ CHILDREN’S Room to Read is transforming the lives of millions of children in low-income BOOKS DISTRIBUTED communities by developing their literacy skills and habit of reading, and by including more than 1,500 Room to Read-published titles, supporting girls to build skills to succeed in secondary school and negotiate key donated English titles and life decisions. Because our programs can be replicated, localized and sustained by donated local-language titles. governments, we are able to create change at a systems level. 130,000+ TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS TRAINED OUR PROGRAMS cumulatively in literacy and library best practices. Our Literacy Program creates Our Girls’ Education Program ensures independent readers and lifelong that girls build the skills to succeed in learners. school and make key life decisions. 81,800+ GIRLS SUPPORTED Our Literacy Program trains and coaches We prepare girls to make positive change by Room to Read’s Girls’ teachers, creates quality books and curricular by providing life skills curriculum, Education Program. Our materials, and establishes libraries filled opportunities for mentorship and peer participants have a 95% with diverse children’s books in local support, and family and community advancement rate. languages that can be enjoyed at school or engagement. Our program goes further home. We partner with local communities, by supporting young people of all genders 6,900+ GRADUATES governments and the publishing industry to to build knowledge and skills with which from Room to Read’s Girls’ test and implement innovative models that they can create a gender-equal world. We Education Program, with help children succeed in school and develop help governments deliver similar programs 79% going on to tertiary a love of reading. through their own education systems. education or employment. World Change Starts with Educated Children.® | www.roomtoread.org RECOGNITION WHAT DIFFERENTIATES US FISCAL EXCELLENCE By investing in research, monitoring and Room to Read has achieved 12 4-star evaluation, we improve learning outcomes ratings from Charity Navigator since for direct beneficiaries and generate 2007, an achievement that less than evidence on what works to share with 1% of charities can claim. governments, investors and the broader LEADER IN LITERACY development community. Won 2014 Library of Congress We design, implement and institutionalize Literacy Award’s David Rubenstein effective and efficient models for achieving Prize for our outstanding quality learning outcomes related to literacy commitment to literacy, and the and gender equality. We operate at the nexus UNESCO 2011 Confucius Prize for Literacy recognizing excellence and of long-term school-level implementation inspiration in the literacy field. and positve, trusted relationships with government. This experience positions us We combine the science of learning to SOCIAL INNOVATOR as a thought leader in literacy and gender read with the magic of loving to read. Chosen as Twitter’s first Corporate equality, capable of galvanizing support and We sustain students’ reading skills Social Innovation partner and won action of government partners for system- development by providing child-friendly the Skoll Foundation’s Award for level change. Social Entrepreneurship ten times. libraries and quality children’s books. We We work across the private and public HIGH-IMPACT GIVING are developing a generation of independent readers and learners who are breaking the sectors around the world to build a Recognized in Barron’s magazine cycle of illiteracy within their own families. network of influencers, literacy and gender- 25 Best Givers list, 2009, 2010; The equality advocates, investors, staff and Global Journal’s Top 100 NGOs in Through our Girls’ Education Program, we volunteers. This network of individuals and the World, 2012, 2013; and Great equip girls with the tools to self-advocate and organizations is committed to our mission Nonprofits Top Rated list, 2013, 2014. chart a path that they choose for themselves. and to expanding our impact. They are our We involve diverse stakeholders to support greatest asset. the creation of a gender-equal world. PRESS Room to Read has received significant global media coverage including: • ABC • BBC • Bloomberg • CBS • CNN • OUR REACH • Financial Times • The New York Times • • Newsweek • People • Radio National • Room to Read has benefited more than 16.8 million children in 16 countries around the world. • Vogue • The Wall Street Journal • U T S O H A S I A PARTNERS Jordan Nepal Myanmar Laos India R I C Room to Read receives support from F A Vietnam A Bangladesh T H E A leading global organizations including: U S O S I A T S A • Artha Capital • Atlassian Foundation • Sri Lanka Cambodia • Bank of America—BA Continuum India • Rwanda N T R A C E L Tanzania Indonesia • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation • Caerus M E R I C A A Zambia Foundation • Citi • Credit Suisse • Dubai Cares • Echidna Giving • Goldman Sachs • Honduras • Google.org • IKEA Foundation • IMC • South Africa I B B E • Myriad Asset Management • The Stone A R A N C Family Foundation • Tatcha • Townsend Grenada Press • UBS Optimus Foundation • USAID • 465 California Street, Suite 1000 • San Francisco, CA, 94104, USA • Voice: +1 415 839 4400 • Fax: +1 415 839 4303 info@roomtoread.org • www.roomtoread.org • twitter.com/roomtoread • facebook.com/roomtoread World Change Starts with Educated Children.® .