GoodEReader has been following the workings of a non-profit group, Worldreader, and their efforts to bring digital readers and ebooks to outlying areas that are currently limited in terms of access to books, especially for public school students. They were the initiators of an ongoing years-long study on how access to Kindles affected reading test scores and attitudes towards literacy, and the results of the first year of the study were published recently.
Worldreader has announced today that it has organized a reader-supported campaign to provide one million ebooks to users in Africa, one of the focal locations of the group’s efforts. This initiative is a recent follow up to the more than 100,000 ebooks that the organization has already provided for students in sub-Saharan communities.
“Worldreader is committed to putting a digital library in the hands of all children throughout the world’s developing countries, and we’re thrilled with the support of FC Barcelona to send 1 million e–‐books to students in Africa,” said David Risher, CEO and Co-Founder of Worldreader, in a press release issued today. “Together Worldreader and Barça are connecting students with their heroes to awaken their passion for reading and improve their lives.”
As an interesting incentive, Worldreader has out their recipients’ love of sports to use in motivating the emerging readers. The group has enlisted the aid of a number of internationally well-known professional soccer players. These team members, who include Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Eric Abidal and Seydou Keita, will send encouraging messages to the students involved in the literacy program via the e-reader devices.
Consumers can support the initiative by making donations to a dedicated site that Worldreader has established for this specific program. A $5 donation to millionbooks.worldreader.org will purchase one ebook for a student in the program.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.
