Project Literacy

Project Literacy is monitoring progress and coordinating a mass movement towards stamping out illiteracy all over the globe.
According to UNESCO, there are 781 million illiterate adults in the world and 64% of them are women. This global issue can have long-term effects, meaning people can’t receive an education, their work choices are severely limited, and they can’t even participate in political activities. Headed by Pearson, Project Literacy aims to change this growing problem through bringing together a diverse and global cross-section of people and organisations.

A big part of Project Literacy’s work revolves around the collection of data and statistics regarding the world’s literacy status. Through this information, the project can best identify where initiatives are most needed and coordinate with their partners in implementing action. These actions occur all over the world and range anywhere from large scale projects to educate thousands of school-age children to smaller initiatives to improve literacy in adults. The sharing of data from Project Literacy also allows the project to engage others to join initiatives and pledge their support.

The project also offers a number of free tools and resources to bring inspiration to classrooms and homes. These tools allow everyone to improve literacy levels in their own communities, regardless of education or experience.

Together with 14 partners – including First Book, Raising a Reader, Worldreader, Reach Out & Read, Room to Read, Reading is Fundamental, 826 National, Kiva.org, National Literacy Trust, WNDB (We Need Diverse Books), Jumpstart: Children First, Good, and Reading Partners – Project Literacy have been implementing and developing literacy initiatives to make significant and sustainable advances in education.