By Anastasia Gruper

How the world would change if…

…every child had the opportunity to read stories.
…every child built their imaginations and schema on different encounters with the written word.
…every child had the opportunity share their ideas.
…every child had the opportunity to write their stories.

As Mal and Dave prepare for their trip to Zambia, we remember our mission and our goals: to improve the lives of impoverished children through literacy development.

After listening to Chimamanda Adichie’s Ted Talk, “The Danger of a Single Story,” it is evident that change is taking place in Nigeria.  Through the use of literacy, people are making a difference. As Chimamanda concludes, she speaks of the “incredible resilience of people who thrive despite the government rather than because of it.” Her volunteer work teaching reading and writing workshops, building libraries, refurbishing libraries, and providing books for state schools who lack resources improves the literacy lives of children.  Her mission is similar to ours: to provide children the opportunity to read, write, and tell many stories that matter.

Safe travels to Mal and Dave, may the work you share improve literacy lives and give children the opportunity to tell their stories.