The World of Reading
The Pearson Foundation’s World of Reading program shares books, helps build libraries, and supports proven, scalable local literacy programs in local communities across the globe. With Pearson people and businesses and with outstanding local literacy partners – partners that include organizations such as BookAid International, Room to Read, Rally to Read – we hope to deliver books and educational resources to people who need them. By means of specific literacy programs such as the Indigenous Literacy Project and World Book Day we aim to promote literacy and reading and support local organizations similarly committed to these goals.
BookAid International
Pearson has been a long-term partner with Book Aid International, an international development agency that makes books and educational materials available in the developing world. In 2006, we hosted hundreds of schools and thousands of young readers across East Africa in special reading tent events offered together with Book Aid International and the East Africa Book Development Association. Stocked with books, the tents serve as the site of two-day reading events designed to promote literacy and reading.
In addition to donating more than 22,000 Longman books to the effort, we also funded training sessions for teacher librarians to ensure that reading promotion techniques are incorporated into the school day, and that new book collections are widely used.
Indigenous Literacy Project
Penguin Australia is a key supporter of Australia’s literacy development and has lent its voice to the Indigenous Literacy Project. In some Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland illiteracy rates are as high as 93%. This year, the Indigenous Literacy Project is becoming the core fundraising project for the Australian book industry, with booksellers, libraries schools and consumer publishers like Penguin Australia all helping to raise funds to support literacy work in these communities.
Room to Read
The FT in Asia supports Room to Read, which partners with local communities throughout the developing world to establish schools, libraries and other educational infrastructure. Most recently, the FT organized a charity gala to help raise money for Room to Read. More than HK$4.7 million was raised, making it the most successful event in Room to Read’s history at the time.
Rally to Read
Because the basic need for books and improvement of literacy levels is a high priority for South Africa, Penguin South Africa is a proud sponsor of Rally to Read, which provides books and trains teachers for some of South Africa’s most disadvantaged remote, rural schools. Since 2001 Penguin has donated over R700 000 in cash and books. Each school is visited for three consecutive years, and progress and advancement are clearly visible in the second and third year of their cycle.
World Book Day
Penguin and other publishers and book retailers throughout the UK and Ireland support World Book Day by donation funds, creating special £1 books, working with authors to attend events and bearing the cost of redemption of the World Book Day Book Tokens. Penguin makes a yearly contribution of £35,000 to World Book Day. In 2006 Here Comes Harry and His Bucketful of Dinosaurs by Ian Whybrow, Adrian Reynolds was Puffin’s £1 title. Last year, DK also sponsored the World Book Day poster and book design competition.
