All Children Reading Grand Challenge

Media contact: Laura Blank 708.872.5265 (c)

Latest News: 10/03/2012 WOV Celebrates International Literacy Day in DC 09/07/2012 On International Literacy Day, World Vision joins USAID, AusAID announce winners of international literacy competition 11/16/2011 USAID announces partnership with World Vision for 'Grand Challenge to Jumpstart Child Literacy

It is amazing the difference that literacy can make in people's lives.

People who can read enjoy better health, make more money, create safer and more stable democracies, and serve their communities more effectively.

That's why "educated for life" is one of our aspirations for ever child's well being.

If all students in low—income countries left primary school with basic reading skills, 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty—the equivalent of a 12% drop in world poverty.

Once equipped with the power of reading, children will have greater opportunities, become life-long learners, and realize their full potential.

World Vision, USAID and AusAID have partnered in a multi-year initiative that seeks to improve early grade reading outcomes in under-resourced communities called All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development.

What is a Grand Challenge?

At its heart, a Grand Challenge is about finding new, innovative solutions to long-term problems that have not been solved with traditional approaches. A Grand Challenge is an opportunity to foster new ideas, engage new actors and advance innovative solutions from across the globe. Read more about other Grand Challenges.

How does the All Children Reading Grand Challenge work?

The All Children Reading Grand Challenge is about finding a solution to the problem of childhood illiteracy by leveraging all the tools at our disposal: the power of research, capitalizing on innovation, catalyzing partnerships, and increasing the utilization of science, technology, and 21st century infrastructure.

There are two ways in which the Grand Challenge is collecting ideas for a solution:

• The All Children Reading competition - a multi-donor grant-making mechanism to support innovative projects that improve early grade reading outcomes.
• The Mobiles for Reading working group, a convening mechanism intended to promote dialogue and knowledge sharing focused on the use of mobile technology and mobile applications, broadly defined, for reading. Mobiles for Reading is engaging a variety of donors, international organizations, non-profit organizations and private sector partners.

Why is this initiative needed?

Around the world, while efforts to increase school enrollment are working, reading results continue to lag.

Over the past ten years, primary school enrollment has increased by 42% in low-income countries, up to 74% across Sub-Saharan Africa and 98% in South and West Asia. Participation in pre-primary education programs has increased by more than 31% over the past decade.

Despite this progress, in low-income countries the majority of students do not acquire basic reading skills even after four years of primary school.

Reading skills are the building blocks of all future learning. Yet, in Sub-Sahran Africa, a child with five years of education has a 40% chance of being illiterate. In Mali, Pakistan, and Peru over 70% of children in primary grades cannot read at grade level.

How you can help

As a rallying cry against illiteracy, we challenge non-profit companies, non-governmental organizations and associations, academic/educational research institutions, faith-based organizations, civil societies and foundations, literacy advocacy organizations, and YOU to create innovative solutions to advance literacy in developing countries around the world.

The All Children Reading Grand Challenge isn't just about giving the gift of literacy to children, it is about equipping children with the skills to combat poverty, improve health outcomes, increase national stability, and increase employment potential worldwide. Together we can help millions of children in under-resourced communities.

Visit allchildrenreading.org to take on The Grand Challenge.