FROM READING TO READINESS

ROOM TO READ, ON A MISSION TO TACKLE ILLITERACY AND GENDER INEQUALITY, IS WORKING TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE THE RESOURCES TO READ, LEARN AND GROW-IN TURN, CREATING LASTING CHANGE.

- by Nicole Pillay

An influx of investments within and outside the continent as well as the development of Africa’s creative economy, and business spheres, have brought foundational learning skills to the fore.

Room to Read—an organization which aims to nurture these skills in the youth—has placed particular focus on this. Founded in 2000, and first operating in Nepal, its programs have benefited 60 million children across 29 countries in the world.

Chief Executive Officer, Dr Geetha Murali (pictured), who has been part of the organization for about 17 years and at the helm for the last eight, emphasizes that, in addition to the importance of providing reading material for Africa’s youth, it also necessary to create programs that are inclusive and sustainable.

Around 90% of their employees are based in the communities they serve and, per the organization, $1 billion has been invested into improving foundational learning for children around the world. Operations on the continent are ongoing in South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Malawi and Nigeria.

“When a third of the youth population will be on the continent in the next few decades; when you have [the] impact of the future workforce coming from across Africa, as a skill-building organization, it behooves us to be able to do more, and more quickly,” tells Murali to FORBES AFRICA.