Room to Read, the story

This afternoon I began my hunt for a group of very very passionate and special people, specifically, I’m looking for batch’14 kids currently studying in RGS and will be, for the year to come. In hopes of finding the right people to be the advocates of world change starts with education and the leaders for Room to Read‘s public education campaign Imagining Possibilities 2014. 

Did you know that if all children in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills, 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty? This may sound kind of iffy because how exactly do we know, but if my post can help you recognise the importance of literacy and education in these developing countries than the uncertainty if 171 million people can really be saved shouldn’t stop us from at least trying.

Literacy is the foundation for all learning in school. We should be investing equally if not more, into the education factor of developing countries instead of solely diverting all forms of donation to these countries to the supply of clothes and food and water. We aren’t addressing the root of the problem- if only we started from the children of these countries, allow them to pursue quality education, reach their fullest potentials, they could very well be the future leaders of the generations to come in their country and save the entire country from poverty. There’s little use if we keep spoonfeeding them. And in a country like ours, where education is made compulsory for citizens and almost taken for granted everywhere, it’s time we took a few steps towards being aware and then appreciating what we have, realising that attending school everyday should not be a chore, for it is a privilege.

Room to Read is a global organisation with chapters over at least 10 countries in Asia and Africa dedicated to establishing libraries, contructing classrooms, publishing local-language children’s books and training educators; they also have girls’ education programmes to level up the gender equality in recipients of education. Through Imagining Possibilities, the campaign aims to bring students of various schools to step up for the cause to bring greater awareness from the schools’ pupils and through which promote the love of reading and raise funds for the noble cause. The flexibility in the campaign activities allows the students to better use their creative minds and take ownership of the project!

If all the above makes your heart pump even that bit faster, and gives you lots to think about; and most importantly you happen to be a student of RGS even next year, please contact me at shermaineng_1997@yahoo.com.sg if not do continue to spread the word and be more aware yourself.