Thanks to the results achieved with you!

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COUNTRIES IMPACTED

we work to lift young people out of poverty

1 OUT OF 5 PEOPLE IN THE WORLD CANNOT READ OR WRITE

World Literacy Foundation is here to change that

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LITERACY CAN’T WAIT

The COVID-19 global crisis is having a significant impact on the education of thousands of children across the world. World Literacy Foundation is working to increase our capacity and response to provide children with the learning resources needed to continue their literacy development – but we can’t do it without you!

Learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on literacy and education here.

COVID-19 APPEAL

Your donation today will go to where it’s needed most.

DIGITAL LIBRARY

The World Literacy Foundation has created a digital library with FREE resources to keep children reading while at home.

Enjoy our collection of eBooks, videos and podcasts.

OUR PROJECTS

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WHY WE DO IT

At the World Literacy Foundation, we believe in literacy as the foundation of lifelong learning and education. People who cannot read or write experience difficulties with simple everyday tasks such as reading the label of a medicine bottle, filling in a job application or understanding a traffic sign. When we help someone to acquire literacy skills, we are empowering them with better opportunities in life and breaking the poverty cycle.

SOCIAL IMPACT

People completely or functional illiterate face the prospect of poor health outcomes, welfare dependency, gender inequality and a lack of social cohesion.

Studies have shown the mother´s literacy level is closely related to child health and survival.

Girls are still more likely than boys to never attend to school, and their incomes are 60-75% of men’s salaries.

Literacy significantly enhances a person’s ability to access, understand and apply information about health to make accurate decisions.

Literacy promotes gender equality as a fundamental condition for the full enjoyment of human rights, provide better skills for work and socio-economic participation by women and men.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Illiteracy costs the global economy $1.5 trillion annually. Literacy is the foundation of community and economic development.

192 million people are unemployed worldwide, many unable to find a decent livelihood due to a lack of literacy and numeracy skills.

85% of all teenagers who are involved in criminal activities are functionally illiterate, high crime rates have a direct relation to low literacy skills.

Read more about economic and social impact of illiteracy.

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OUR BLOG

Literacy

We Won’t Achieve Our Sustainable Development Goals Without Doing This

Educating children on sustainable development goals may be the difference between a better future and a climate catastrophe. Here’s why.

Literacy

Dame Helen Mirren Adds Support to the UK Reads Christmas Appeal

Dame Helen Mirren has become an Ambassador of the World Literacy Foundation's initiative 'UK Reads' and has added her support to their Christmas appeal.