Volunteers are wanted for World Literacy Day

SOUTH AUSTRALIA – People are needed to organize a book drive or some other community or fundraising event in California to lift attention on World Literacy Day (Sept. 8). The theme this year is “Today's readers, Tomorrow's leaders.”

In the region, 61% of children from underprivileged backgrounds don't own a single book and 73% of children struggle to read a sentence.

Andrew Kay, CEO from the World Literacy Foundation says, “the ability to read is the passport for a better future, and literacy skills can break generational poverty.”

People in California are invited to help create greater awareness and attention to this very important issue. Literacy is the pathway for a child to reach their full potential.

On World Literacy Day, everyone is encouraged to help organize fundraising events to raise money to purchase children’s books and get them into the hands of those who need them most. Globally, 770 million people can't read a single word and a further 2 billion struggle to read a sentence. In America, 24% of people are considered functionally illiterate, which can have lifelong social, economic, health and employment related problems.

Register to be a local literacy campaigner on World Literacy Day at [email protected].

Submitted by the World Literacy Foundation.