This campaign has now closed
750 million people are illiterate and 2 billion cannot read a sentence. In Uganda, only 58% of the population aged six and above have completed their primary education. Being unable to read affects study and job opportunities, learning and potential. WLF's Sun Books project works to change this.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
Uganda has one of the youngest and fastest growing populations in the world. The adult literacy rate is 78.4% (women only 71.5%) and only 58% of the population aged six and above have completed primary education. In 2017 Uganda also became home to the largest refugee camp in the world - Bidi Bidi. As the young and displaced population continues to rise, school enrolment levels and literacy rates are likely to deteriorate.
Solution
The World Literacy Foundation champions reading as route out of poverty. The Sun Books initiative provides teachers in remote ‘offgrid’ communities in sub-Saharan Africa with a digital library of books and learning materials, pre-loaded on solar-powered tablets, supported by local representatives and volunteers. This means more children will learn to read, which in turn leads to better education, higher literacy rates and will ultimately allow young people to break free from the poverty cycle.