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"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."
-Frederick Douglass
The gift of literacy not only opens portals to other worlds but also teaches its readers. Knowledge has been passed down through literature for thousands of years. In this day and age we can find books and various other texts that include an infinite number of topics. Through these works, problems and solutions have evolved and so have our level of thinking. But, sadly, not everyone has or had the privilege of education.
Literacy should be a fundamental human right, however countless circumstances are preventing people all around the world from reaching their full potential.
If the art of literature was born more than five thousand years ago, it should have long since been attainable to all people.
More than 617 million children and adolescents are not achieving minimum proficiency levels (MPLs) in reading and mathematics.
Six out of ten children and adolescents are not learning globally.
Despite the steady rise in literacy rates over the past 50 years, there are still 773 million illiterate adults around the world, most of whom are women.
-UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Learning poverty has increased by a third in low- and middle-income countries. About 70% of 10-year-olds are illiterate since the pandemic.
-According to the World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, UK government Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), USAID, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Benefits of Literacy
-Concern Worldwide US
The Encourage Literacy Program
My name is Alexa Young
As a child, I delighted in escaping into inspiring stories. The characters I related to gave me the courage I needed to become the woman I am today. As we know, sharing stories was the beginning of passing down knowledge, and from this came literacy in all its fabulous forms. Not every kid can get behind a textbook and gleefully relay the information within. But all kids hold dear the stories of the characters that speak to their hearts, including epic stories about life outside this world, stories about myth and magic!
Education is so broad, and kids are eager to learn. The necessary tools for development shouldn't cost an arm and a leg!
Why not give students stories worth reading—stories that inspire their developing characters for years to come, stories that are parent approved?
School faculty members, authors, and literary agents, join the nonprofit Encourage Literacy Foundation to give students free books, today!
First Book in the Encourage Literacy Foundation.
HALE -
The Rise of the Griffins
YA Fantasy, middle grade & up
Sign up to the
Encourage Literacy Foundation
School faculty including teachers and principals across the U.S. can request books for their students for no cost!
