We Believe that World Change Starts with Educated Children.®

We know how to improve literacy and gender equality through education. We just need the partnerships and support to do it. 

We envision a world in which all children can pursue a quality education that prepares them to lead fulfilled lives and make positive change — in their families, communities and the world.

Room to Read is creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality. We are achieving this goal by helping children in historically low-income communities develop literacy skills and a habit of reading, and by supporting girls as they build skills to succeed in school and negotiate key life decisions. We collaborate with governments and other partner organizations to deliver positive outcomes for children at scale.

Private Sector Brain, Nonprofit Heart

We’re people from around the world, from diverse industries, who are passionate about education. Taking best practices from our diverse disciplines, Room to Read employs more than 1,600 staff across 21 countries. Of those staff, 88% are employed in our program countries. We hire local nationals to lead our community-based operations in countries where we operate and have visibility from program design through to the communities where our programs are contextualized and implemented.