Established in 1965, International Literacy Day was created to bring awareness to the immense lack of access to education and literacy opportunities that exist around the world. This year’s theme for International Literacy Day is Literacy and Sustinable Societies, emphasizing the role of literacy in the development of society at large.
Today, 757 million adults still lack basic literacy skills — two thirds are women. The number of out-of-school children and adolescents is on the rise, standing at 124 million worldwide – while some 250 million children of primary school age are failing to master basic literacy skills even in schooling. We cannot allow this to continue.
– Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO
3 Ways to Promote Literacy Around the Globe in honor of International Literacy Day
1. Become an International Volunteer
You don’t have to go abroad to contribute to increased literacy around the world, but why not!? Two of our partners provide incredible international volunteer programs that will give you the chance to get your hands dirty in projects that truly contribute to improved literacy.
Help our Partner Pangea Educational Development Through Volunteer Work in Uganda – PED’s unique mission is exuded in its 3-step model, which builds educational opportunities literally from the ground up. You can help build a classroom for students, build a livelihood for a school, or build professional training for local teachers with PED in Uganda, and so much more.
Teach English at Rural Schools with our Partner Volunteer for the Visayans – Rural schools in the Philippines are notoriously underfunded, underresourced, and understaffed. Volunteer teachers can play an incredible role in the education of local children, by exposing them to the English language and creating fun, unique lessons that inspire them to engage inside the classroom.
Sponsoring a child will literally change his or her academic future, by providing the financial assistance, resources, and social services he or she needs to become a successful student. Children sponsored through our partner VFV’s sponsorship program receive annual health check ups and school supplies, monthly groceries, weekly tutorials, daily feedings, and much, much more. Nothing says contributing to literacy better than literally sending a child to school who would otherwise not have the ability to attend!
3. Provide A Scholarship
To truly make an impact on the life of each child that becomes sponsored in our Sponsor a Child Program, we must provide the resources they need to attend university, which has the potential to break the cycle of poverty and build a better future for their entire family and generations to come. Our Scholarship Support helps teens in the Philippines attend university by providing them with financial support to cover all their school fees, transport to and from school, and other resources they need to earn their degree.
To create a sustainable future for our children, and our children’s children, we must stand up and become the catalyst that is needed to propel literacy and development.
Not only is literacy a basic human right, it is a fundamental building block for learning as well as a personal empowerment tool. It is the catalyst for social and global progress. – World Literacy Foundation