More than 400,000 young people benefit from Generation Reader
Book Aid International is pleased to share that its Generation Reader campaign has now benefitted 426,288 young people across Africa, providing them with access to 141,601 brand-new, publisher-donated books and opening 72 new reading spaces where learning can thrive.
By 2030, the campaign aims to provide 1.5 million books to 10 million young people, equip 300 new reading spaces and train 1,500 teachers and librarians to support reading. Book Aid International’s Head of Programmes and Partnerships Samantha Sokoya commented on the campaign’s success to date saying:
“We know that we are living through a global reading crisis. If Generation Reader succeeds, we’ll be taking a step towards ensuring that millions more young people experience the huge benefits of reading for pleasure, study and lifelong learning. The campaign’s success so far is down to the fantastic support we receive from so many publishers and donors, and I would like to thank in particular the Bernard Sunley Foundation, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, Sigrid Rausing and players of People’s Postcode Lottery for their support.”
Reading spaces created through Generation Reader so far include five Explorer Libraries, which transform disused classrooms into thriving school libraries, in Kenya, Liberia and Sierra Leone and ten Books to Go libraries in Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Books to Go establishes lending libraries in primary schools and equips teachers to support families to read together.
More than 50 partners who focus on young people’s reading have received 141,601 publisher-donated books to support their work through the campaign. One of these partners, the Edward Ndlovu Memorial Trust (ENMT), runs a public library in Gwanda, Zimbabwe, where 17 year old Tariro studies almost every day. She’s now top of her class, and she spoke of reading amongst her peers and the books she values most:
“Some people may think even if youth have books maybe they would choose not to read – but that is not true. People love reading, but they do not have access to books. If I could select the books on the next shipment, I would choose books that are on commercial and science subjects because most youths in my community love these topics. They want to become accountants and doctors. If every person in my generation had access to books, I think more people would pass their exams and pursue these ambitions.”
Books donated by Bloomsbury, Hachette UK and HarperCollins are amongst those provided through Generation Reader to benefit Tariro and thousands more young people like her. Maura Wilding, Group Communications Director and Changing the Story co-patron at Hachette UK, commented on their support, saying:
“Hachette UK is committed to our mission of making it easy for everyone to discover new worlds of ideas, learning, entertainment, and opportunity. We all know that reading for fun is the single biggest predictor of a child’s future success – more than family circumstance, parents’ education, or income. That’s why our support of Book Aid International’s Generation Reader is so important to us and to Raising Readers, our ongoing and urgent campaign to fight the reading crisis and ensure that every child has access to the life-changing impact of books and reading.”
Book Aid International would welcome a conversation with anyone interested in donating funds or books to help create a generation of readers by 2030. To find out more about the campaign, visit https://bookaid.org/generationreader.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Images
Please find a selection of images and the Book Aid International logo here: https://bookaid.dash.app/sharing/type/collection/qpnwg-generation-reader-press-release
Further information
Please contact Emma Taylor:
07582 402 446
emma.taylor@bookaid.org
Read Tariro’s story here: https://bookaid.org/stories/education/generation-reader-a-students-story/
About Book Aid International
Book Aid International is a charity which shares the power of books and helps build a more equal future. Every year, Book Aid International works with its partners worldwide to provide over one million brand-new books which support or establish libraries in communities where people would otherwise have few opportunities to read.
Almost all of the books Book Aid International provides are donated by publishers in the UK, and every book sent is carefully selected in line with the charity’s partners’ requests. Book Aid International also funds the purchase of thousands of nationally published books every year.
Book Aid International isa registered charity in England and Wales. Charity number 313869 and company number 880754