A brief background of the problem we are working to solve
and the reason it matters in the bigger scheme of things.
This includes 1 in 4 children worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa, 88% of children, or 202 million are not meeting minimum proficiency in literacy.1 Moreover, 260 million children are not even in school. This is the cornerstone of a learning crisis that threatens all other learning and countries’ efforts to build human capital and grow their economies.2
Education must be about much more than just going to school. It’s about the quality of the experience and the learning that takes place. And there is no better indicator of learning and a quality education than whether a student can read and write.
In nearly every aspect of life, across all contexts including:
Literacy is central to health and health central to learning. A child whose mother can read is 50% more likely to live past the age of five.6
Literacy is the foundation of all other learning. Developing reading skills enables one to learn new skills and knowledge.7
If all students in low-income countries had basic reading skills, 171 million people could escape extreme poverty.8
When we say we want to see a 100% literate world by 2050, we mean it. Not only do we believe that it is possible, but it is the task of our generation to accomplish it.
We want to see the first generation where every child has the ability to learn and become who they are meant to be, not hindered by what is offered to them but fueled by their curiosity and have the skills to follow it. It all starts with literacy. Once a a person can read, they can write their own future.
(If you love a good citation as much as we do)
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