2014 Royal Parks Half Marathon 30 participants raising above £20,000

About us “Literacy unlocks the door to learning throughout life, is essential to development and health, and opens the way for democratic participation and active citizenship.” -Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General We envision a world in which all children can pursue a quality education, reach their full potential and contribute to their community and the world. To achieve this goal, we focus on two areas where we believe we can have the greatest impact: literacy and gender equality in education. We work in collaboration with communities and local governments across Asia and Africa to develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the life skills they’ll need to succeed in school and beyond.

Our Impact Schools Constructed1,752 Libraries Established16,060 Books Published885 Books Distributed13.3 million Girls Education Participants25,703 Children Benefited7.8 million “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela

2014 Royal Parks Half Marathon For the 2013 Royal parks Half Marathon we had 10 runners raising £10,000. This year we target 30 runners raising above £20,000. This is 125 years of Girls’ Education ! We are on track to reach 10 million children by the year 2015, and you can help us get there. In a world with 793 million illiterate people—2/3 of whom are women and girls—the time to act is now.

Our Programs Girls' Education - A smart investment Educating girls is the most powerful and effective way to address global poverty. Room to Read supports girls so that they not only graduate, but also develop the skills they need to negotiate key life decisions. Finishing secondary school leads to smaller, healthier families, lower HIV infection rates, and higher wages. Educated women are more likely to educate their own children – ending the cycle of illiteracy in one generation. School Libraries - Practice makes perfect In order for children to become independent readers, effective communicators and lifelong learners, they need time to practice and exposure to a variety of texts. With age-appropriate reading material extremely scarce in developing countries, many children are expected to learn to read using only a single textbook. Our school libraries fill that void, providing both access to engaging reading material and a safe space to learn and play. Book Publishing - Reading success starts with great books One of the greatest challenges to early adoption of the habit of reading in developing countries is a lack of high- quality, age-appropriate children's books in the local language. Often, the few books that are available are either second-hand books in foreign languages or low-quality, black and white books for more mature readers. Room to Read responded to this need by going into the publishing business. Our Book Publishing program is committed to providing children with materials that will inspire them to read, expand their minds, and develop a lifelong love for reading and learning.

Our Programs School Construction - New infrastructure Adequate schools are often scarce in developing countries—especially in rural areas. Room to Read partners with communities in several of our program countries to construct bright, safe, child-friendly classrooms so all children have a better opportunity to pursue a quality education in an environment conducive to learning. School Construction - Repairs & renovation With government funding scarce, schools in many communities where we work have fallen into disrepair and tend to be poor learning environments. We repair and renovate existing school buildings to improve lighting and ventilation, reduce noise and other distractions in the classroom and make interior spaces more conducive to teaching and learning. Reading & Writing Instruction - Challenges to early grade literacy In many parts of the developing world, insufficient teacher training, lack of instructional materials and a focus on memorization over comprehension often result in low literacy skills. Early grade textbooks and government curricula frequently place unrealistic expectations on young readers, with long, difficult texts and inappropriate sequencing of information. Room to Read partners with Ministries of Education to supplement gaps that exist in the standard reading and writing curriculum—providing resources, in-service teacher training and classroom enhancements. In each country, our local team identifies areas where the current early grade literacy curriculum and teacher training fall short, and then works with a “core team” of education experts to develop a program that addresses those issues.

Thank you ! Laure Gendron Head of Corporate Relationships London Volunteer Chapter