World Literacy Foundation asking for help from Missourians in donation drive
Taking place on Sept. 8, the organization calls upon Missourians to help donate in support of girls without access to books in Afghanistan.
(Photo courtesy of Rosario Aran, World Literacy Foundation)
World Literacy Day, taking place on Sept. 8, calls upon Missourians to help donate in support of girls without access to books in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is currently an oppressed country under control by the Taliban, making women’s rights few and far between. One of the basic human rights that have been stripped from women is access to books.
In partnership with a youth ambassador network, the World Literacy Foundation is able to raise awareness around illiteracy and help supply books to underprivileged communities through donations. This years youth ambassador program network consists of 1,400, 28 of them focusing on supporting girls in Afghanistan, according to Rosario Aran, World Literacy Foundation communications specialist and youth ambassador program coordinator says. She has been with the foundation for a year and a half,
“In their applications, they were saying all the time that they need this type of program,” Aran says. “After they take the program, they can create an impact in their community and due to the situation they really want to change things and help people there.”
Not limited to just the states, The World Literacy Foundation allows an opportunity for world-wide donations to supply quality publications to the underground book club network in Afghanistan. “We want people from Missouri of course, but we want everybody to get involved, even in the smallest corner of the world,” Aran says.
Through the benefaction of others, this fundraiser will provide opportunities to proper educational resources through digital books, as well as access to books that they are truly passionate about. “We are thinking about suitable books, but we are thinking about the books that they want to read,” she says. “As long as they are suitable, but we want their favorite stories that now they can not have access to.”
Because of logistics and safety reasons, donations of physical books can not be accepted.
This will be the first year that the World Literacy Foundation has held a fundraiser in support of this project. “Because of literacy day, what we wanted to do was support and highlight the situation in Afghanistan and how we can affect foundational literacy,” Aran says.
The foundation is seeking to provide 3,000 books for girls in Afghanistan through the contributions. “There are booklovers. I think anybody can relate,” she says. “They could understand or at least can imagine how hard of a situation if we were in the situation.”
A campaign between the World Literacy Foundation and My Name is Ink, also launching on World Literacy Day, will allow people to be a part of a collective novel along with thousands of other people around the world.
Through payment, an individual will be able to write one sentence for the united narrative. All proceeds will go to the World Literacy Foundation.
The World Literacy Foundation’s website is the best place for those wanting further information or are interested in donating to the foundation. Donations remain open until Sept. 15.
