It has been estimated that a billion people — one-sixth of the world’s population are unable to read. Illiteracy among adults and children is a global concern in highly industrialized nations and in developing countries.

The tragedy of illiteracy is that those who cannot read are denied personal independence and become victims of unscrupulous manipulation, poverty, and the loss of human dignity. Illiteracy is demeaning. It is a major obstacle for economic, political, social, and personal development and a barrier to international under standing, cooperation, and peace in the world.

 

Many Rotary clubs are thoughtfully surveying the needs of their community for literacy training. Some clubs provide basic books for teaching reading. Others establish and support reading and language clinics, provide volunteer tutorial assistance, and purchase reading materials. Rotarians can play a vitally important part in their community and in developing countries by promoting projects to open opportunities that come from the ability to read. For example, Australian Rotarians developed Lighthouses for Literacy projects in four schools in Thailand. This innovative teaching method proved so successful that the Thai government adopted it for all the nation’s schools. Other Rotary clubs have used this model to develop literacy projects in Bangladesh, South Africa, Brazil, and other countries.