World Literacy Foundations is dedicated to changing children’s lives through the power of literacy

BY PAUL JUNOR

It has been seven years now since the World Literacy Foundation (WLF) has been actively involved in promoting literacy worldwide.

It is an international non-profit with the mission of ensuring that every child-regardless of their geographic location has access to books and opportunities to acquire skills, thus allowing them to reach their full potential and succeed in school and beyond.

Since its inception seven years ago, it is active in 52 countries and approximately 500 million people have benefited from its programs. It was founded in Melbourne, Australia.

WLF is dedicated to changing children’s lives through the power of literacy. It:

• Provides children with books and educational resources, so they can discover the joy of reading
• Brings literacy support to disadvantaged children who are struggling to read and write
• Gathers literacy leaders and organizations to share ideas and collaborate within the sector
• Brings together innovative technology, e-books, and digital activities to advance the learning of children in remote communities in their tongue and English
• Remains a global voice to spread and promote the importance of literacy, we empower people to advocate in their local community for this cause
• Involves parents in mentoring programs to help them instil the love of reading in their children and create a habit of reading at home

WLF believes that literacy is an empowering tool to overcome the barriers of poverty. It notes, “Poverty reshapes literacy. 71% of low-income children lack books. As a fundamental human right WLF has made one of its overarching aims to eradicate illiteracy by 2040. This is 17 years from now, and one wonders what facilities, tools, resources, structures, and mechanisms it will take to ensure that this objective is achieved. The United Nations has seen the importance of literacy and has made one of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

On Sunday May 20^th, 2023, WLF issued a press release seeking applications from young people for its Youth Ambassador Program. This flagship program is a free initiative of WLF that: identifies, educates and connects young people from around the world. The program develops young leaders as both local and global changemakers through their work as advocates of literacy. Statistics released by WLF show that there have been approximately 1500 young people from diverse backgrounds in 110 countries that have benefitted from this program.

WLF spokesperson in Canada, Ali Hawkins believes strongly in the program. He states, “The Youth Ambassador is so powerful and impactful on participants, because it combines learning and action and connects the local to the global. For me, the program is so special because it allows participants to learn and then apply their learning through action immediately. Also, it fosters an environment in which participants uncover and then draw connections between the local and global.”

The Summer 2023 Youth Ambassador program will be delivered online over four months through a series of five learning modules that will enable registrants to:

• Provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to be effective advocates for literacy in their communities and around the world
• Gain the knowledge and skills about literacy, leadership, advocacy and community organizing
• Fundraising their need to empower them to be effective advocates for literacy

The online application process was open to any young person between the ages of 16 and 30 and closed on May 26^th. The structured online lessons begin on June 6^th.