About Us

OUR HISTORY

Since l was at school, I understood the power of literacy and how all learning starts with the ability to read.

In 2001, reading a United Nations report, I got concerned about the high rates of illiteracy around the world.

Then when I travelled to Ethiopia in 2002, I witnessed first-hand the lack of educational resources and books in the classrooms and I could see the link between young people and the poverty trap due to their limited access to education.

After a successful commercial career, l wanted to give back to the community. Therefore in 2003, I established the World Literacy Foundation with the goal to bring books, tutoring and literacy resources to children without any support.

In 2005, we started with the transportation of children’s books to Africa and a few years later, we expanded our programs to United States and United Kingdom and Australia.

In 2014, we founded a small reading group in Colombia that has grown through the years reaching every day more families.

In 2016, we incorporated the Sun Books initiative in Uganda, a low-cost solution to deliver hundreds of eBooks pre-loaded in solar-powered tablets to reach students in off-the-grid classrooms. Today we have extended to Zimbabwe, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

Later in 2018, we decided to implement the literacy app in Northern Territory, Australia and included e-books and games to help children learn English in conjunction with their mother tongue.

Meanwhile, in 2012 we ran for the first time the World Literacy Summit at Oxford University to bring together the global literacy community to build greater collaboration and partnerships.

It was a complete success and we decided to celebrate it again in 2014, 2018 and in 2020 we moved to an online conference, due to Covid-19 and the unforeseen circumstances worldwide.

Last year, we reached more than 315,000 children and young people with our services in the USA, Australia, UK, Africa, and Latin America.

I am satisfied and keen to continue working for literacy and education for children because I strongly believe literacy is the vehicle, the pathway to young people reaching their full potential.

“Reading skills are the key determining factor for a child’s future academic success and reaching their full potential”

ANDREW G KAY

Founder and CEO World Literacy Foundation.

OUR MISSION

We strive to ensure that every young individual regardless of geographic location has the opportunity to acquire literacy skills to reach their full potential, succeed at school and beyond.

OUR VISION

We envision a world in which every one of us can read and write, in which there is free access to education for all.

HOW WE DO IT

In USA, UK, Australia, Africa and South America

We provide books and educational resources, so the children can discover the joy of reading.

We provide tutoring and literacy support to disadvantaged children who are struggling to read.

We gather literacy and educational leaders and organizations around the world to share ideas and collaborate within the sector.

We bring together innovative technology, e-books, games, and locally-curated content to advance the learning of children in remote communities in their mother tongue and English.

We are a global voice to spread and promote the importance of literacy, we empower people to advocate in their local community for this cause.

OUR IMPACT

116,740+

times children or parents accessed our services

2,900

young leaders from over 80 countries around the world participated in our Ambassador program in 2019

91,037+

books distributed

9.5

million people reached through mainstream media, advocacy events and social media

20,050+

volunteer hours donated to our projects

ANNUAL REPORT

VIEW ONLINE

Download the printed version by Country

UNITED KINGDOM

AUSTRALIA

NORTH AMERICA

Please feel free to email us at info@worldliteracyfoundation.org for a copy of our annual report and financial statement

OUR SUPPORTERS

Ernest Cook Trust, Letters Live, Equity Trustees, ANZ Staff Foundation, Budding Reader, Rueben Foundation, The Vandervell Foundation, IOOF Foundation, Oxford University Press, The Andrews Foundation, Edith M Ellis Trust, Paragano Family Foundation, The Zurich Trust, Eleanor Curtain Publishing, Veritas Investment, Standard Life Wealth, The Fuller Foundation, Fidelity UK Foundation, Westpac, James Kirby Foundation, Bennelong Foundation, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, People’s Postcode Lottery, Souter Charitable Trust.