LITERACY IS POWER—that is the theme we use in D5450 to promote the importance of literacy in changing lives for the better. Rotary International has identified September as Literacy month, emphasizing Rotarian activity in our communities as well as abroad.Rotary considers it important for everyone, children and adults, to have access to basic literacy through secondary school or its equivalent as well as functional literacy to manage daily living and employment tasks. The abilities to read, write, and engage in critical thought are the necessary components to be considered a literate individual.
Rotary International backs up its concern for basic education and literacy with facts and figures that are astounding:
- 1.7 million additional teachers are needed worldwide to meet the goal of universal primary education.
- 57 million children worldwide are not in school.
- 781 million people over the age of 15 –60% of them women—are illiterate.
There are two immediate actions your club can take:
- Save the date of March 30, 2019, for the annual District Literacy Conference, where outside speakers will give your club fresh ideas for programs and partnerships that go well beyond traditional reading, writing, and math basics to programs in early intervention, financial literacy, philanthropic literacy, counter-terrorism literacy, adult literacy, and much more.
- Stay tuned for a new series of webinars where clubs can share their literacy projects and/or find other clubs with whom to partner in creating literacy awareness and actionable programs.
Lastly, please contact District Literacy Chair Karen Loeb at kcloeb@gmail.com if you wish to join the planning committee for the conference or wish to give a brief summary of your club’s work during the webinars. Together, we can move the needle by giving others the power of literacy! Watch the video shown below to understand the impact of being literate and changing the world!
Karen Loeb,
District 5450 Literacy Chair
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e8xgF0JtVgDistrict 5450 Literacy Chair