Room to Read is a leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing girls' education and eradicating illiteracy worldwide. To reduce gender inequities, the organization helps children in low-income communities make reading a habit and learn essential life skills to assist in better decision-making. Sri Lankan children face obstacles in getting their education. Historically, natural disasters, namely the tsunami of 2004, have destroyed the country's already fragile infrastructure, increasing the impacts of poverty on low-income communities.
Room to Read's work began in Sri Lanka in 2006 with Girls' Education Program, designed to close this gender gap in employment. The Girls Education Program focuses on reducing the impacts of gender discrimination, cultural bias, and safety concerns on the 98 million girls who cannot attend school or are encouraged not to. The founders of this program believed that, by closing the education gender gap, women could contribute to their communities and country and become healthier people.
In 2009, it launched programs in the Mannar District, a district recovering from the ravages of a civil war. Since installing these programs around the country, it has expanded to seven provinces, which has impacted the lives of girls and children in the country.
While the program's primary mission is to help children achieve literacy, the program has become a support system for students such as Naduni, a Sri Lankan girl who is a part of the Girls' Education Program. A daughter of a paddy farmer, Naduni has used life skills lessons to deal with problems at home.
According to a December 2022 article on the Room to Read press site, Naduni's family faced financial hardships after her father lost his job because of fuel shortages. Because farmers could not access fuel, many had to shut their farms down and lay off their workers.
Her family produces most of the food they eat, raising chickens and growing produce. Inflation, however, has made it challenging to purchase the items needed to continue to farm their food, adding pressure to this situation. The girl states that if there is produce in the garden to eat, that is their food source. Her alternative is to find jackfruit in the neighborhood for the family to eat.
One might understand why literacy might not be a priority for Sri Lankan children when faced with such odds, and even Naduni has thoughts about quitting the program that was once a priority to her. She remains in the Room to Read program because she can read about inspiring women and how they overcame their challenges. When faced with problems in life, Naduni draws on these examples to persevere.
Chathurika, another Girls' Education Program teen participant, also faces challenges culminating from the inflation that has negatively impacted the entire country. In this instance, Chathurika's family cannot afford fuel to transport her and her brother to school, like many children in her area. The fuel prices have risen to the point schools in the area have considered closing because teachers have found prices unaffordable.
Room to Read, however, has been a lifeline for Chathurika, who remains determined to continue her education. Her lifeline is one Room to Read mobilizer who reaches out to Chathurika twice weekly to give remote lessons by phone and meet for one-on-one lessons. This instance illustrates the organization's vital role in keeping children connected and motivated to become literate during their most difficult times.
