Room To Read

In reading the ebook, What Matters Now (a series of thought provoking 200 word essays on life and business edited by Seth Godin), I came across the organization Room to Read. It is an organization to builds libraries, schools and otherwise supports literacy and education in developing countries. Everything I have seen so far about the organization leads me to think that it is a good organization. I also note with interest that the organization specifically provides scholarships to girls who wish to study and learn. The scholarships for girls priority of the organization is in keeping with a broader trend in development; that investing in girls and women is more effective at ending poverty than putting the same resources into men (i.e. Grameen Bank, famous for microloans, lends mainly to women who have a very high repayment rate). Since I’m curious, I also bought a copy of John Wood’s (the founder of Room to Read) memoir, Leaving Microsoft To Change The World to learn more about the origins of Room To Read and Wood’s efforts in this regard.

Access to education and libraries has been one of the most important reasons for my success and happiness in life. When buying books was not an option as a teenager, the library was always there. When I wanted a place to study, there was the library. The thought of growing up without such an institution at hand is distressing and so I’ve made a donation to Room To Read this year. There is so much need and poverty in the world that I am sometimes overwhelmed with where to start but here is one small way where I can make a difference. I can’t help but be curious if all the libraries Room To Read has established also have librarians staffing them. Based on what I know of rebuilding libraries in Afghanistan, I would suspect that professional librarians are also in very short supply.

Related posts:

1. What Bookish Charities Serving Developing Countries Can Teach Us
2. Young Learners Need Librarians, Not Just Google (Forbes)