World Literacy Foundation

Every year at this time, I have some fun with my McGraw Hill colleagues to get them involved in a personal campaign to support a charity that is meaningful to me and our company... This year, I’ve promised a donation to the World Literacy Foundation, a wonderful organisation that seeks to eradicate illiteracy by 2045. An inspiring goal, indeed! Earlier this year, we released a new core literacy program for K-5 students, and I felt it would be especially meaningful to support a group working on literacy for 2025. To add some fun to this campaign, I told employees I would make a donation driven by how many comments I receive on a video message I shared internally. I asked them to share in their comment a children’s book that is a favourite of theirs or their children and I’ve received hundreds already.

It’s the most successful holiday fundraising campaign I’ve hosted so far! The giving spirit is strong at McGraw Hill all year round, but especially during the holidays. This time of year, groups of McGraw Hill employees support charities and other causes in the communities where they live, often raising money to support local food drives and food pantries. Or in the case of our Canada team this year, donating socks to an organization that provides them to children in need during the winter months. If you’re looking to support an organization this year, I encourage you to check out the World Literacy Foundation. More info here: https://lnkd.in/eTYdDaA2 I wish you all happy holidays, wherever you are and however you celebrate!

#RedCubeProud This week, our community in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, came together to make sure children in need felt seen, supported and celebrated. Families receive food to prepare their Thanksgiving dinner and every child goes home with books to keep them reading long after the holiday is over. This is what giving truly looks like. Happy Thanksgiving! From Brian: "The look on the children’s faces when they receive the books is priceless.

For many of them, it is the first time they have received a new book. There is something about giving something new, that shows so much value to the one receiving it." #Thanksgiving A Message of Reflection from our CEO As we enter the festive season—a time of gratitude, generosity, and togetherness—I find myself reflecting on the journey that brought us here. In November 2010, I stood on stage in Melbourne to announce the founding of an organization with a bold mission: to eradicate illiteracy by 2040. I was nervous—not just because of the scale of the dream, but because it was deeply personal. In the years leading up to that moment, I had been navigating the challenges of helping my eldest son, Trent, who struggled to read.

Through a literacy support service, we witnessed a profound transformation in his life. That experience ignited a passion in me to share what we had learned—not just with our local community, but with the world. In 2012, we hosted the inaugural World Literacy Summit at Oxford University. Our vision was to build a global network of literacy organizations and experts, united in collaboration to accelerate the end of illiteracy. The journey since then has been one of growth, learning, and humility. I had to unlearn many assumptions about scaling impact.

What emerged was a vibrant network of partners who continually improved upon past approaches. Together, we launched powerful community-led and youth-led literacy campaigns across 60 countries, amplifying advocacy at the grassroots level. We strengthened our work through teacher training in rural African schools and introduced technology in places without electricity or internet—proving that innovation can thrive even in the most underserved communities. I saw firsthand the transformative power of investing in forgotten regions through leadership development and local empowerment. Today, the World Literacy Foundation spans over 70 countries, delivering high-impact programs that help children develop foundational literacy skills and unlock their full potential. Looking ahead to our 2040 goal, the path is clear: it will take relentless effort and extraordinary people.

I’ve learned that networks of locally led organizations, united by a shared mission, can be true catalysts for change. Thank you to the many individuals and organizations who have walked this literacy journey with us. Your support continues to light the way. #LiteracyForAll #EmpowerThroughEducation #EndIlliteracy2040 #GlobalLiteracyInitiative #TransformLivesThroughLiteracy A new World Bank report echoes what the World Literacy Foundation has long championed: the world is facing a learning crisis, but the solutions are clear, proven, and within reach. Phonics, fluency, comprehension, and structured reading instruction work.

That’s why our programs are built on evidence-based strategies that help children learn to read and thrive. Read the full research here: https://lnkd.in/gwMY-mW8 #LiteracyForAll #GlobalEducation #EvidenceBasedTeaching #ReadToLead #WorldLiteracyFoundation As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s the perfect time to pause and appreciate the simple joys: a favorite book, a cosy reading nook, and children discovering new worlds through stories. This year, we’re partnering with food pantries to add children’s books to holiday food baskets, because every child deserves the comfort of a good story. Alex, age five, once had no books. Now she reads three a week thanks to supporters like you.

$10 = 2 books $200 = 40 books Give by Thursday to share the gift of reading this Thanksgiving: https://lnkd.in/ev2pP46S #GivetheGiftOfReading #ChristmasSeason The World Literacy Foundation (WLF) is a global not-for-profit that works to lift young people out of poverty through literacy. Founded in Melbourne, Australia in 2003, the World Literacy Foundation operates on the principle that education is a basic human right. It aims to eradicate global illiteracy through the promotion of literacy and the provision of educational resources. The World Literacy foundation works to get communities involved and raise awareness of the importance of literacy. It is reported that 1 out of every 10, or 750 million people globally are illiterate.[1]

Since its establishment in 2003, the World Literacy Foundation has grown to align with the needs of an evolving education sector. The World Literacy Foundation has worked towards forging partnerships with other leading educational and related not-for-profit organisations, and has built long-lasting relationships within communities around the world. The World Literacy Foundation significantly dedicates its time and resources to conducting research, and uses resulting information to help advocate in local communities as well as on a global scale. It mobilise communities through passionate volunteers, and seeks to give individuals a voice so that they can also act as advocates for literacy within their own communities. The World Literacy Foundation believes that raising community awareness is vital to the improvement of literacy standards. The World Literacy Foundation annually monitors a range of indicators in the education area and prepares a report on economic and social cost of illiteracy.

In 2012, the WLF compiled a report which focuses on the economic and social cost of illiteracy in the United Kingdom. The research was devoted to economic and social cost of illiteracy in the country.[2] It stated that one in five of the UK population is functionally illiterate and this rate costs the national economy... World’s largest gathering of international literacy specialists, NGO leaders,researchers, academics, literacy entrepreneurs, education companies, publishers, practitioners, and government representatives.Oxford, UK 6 – 9 April 2025 The World Literacy Summit is a global gathering dedicated to tackling the global literacy crisis and improving education for all. Organized by the World Literacy Foundation, this prestigious event brings together educators, policymakers, innovators, and advocates from over 85 countries to collaborate on impactful solutions that promote literacy and learning around the world. The World Literacy Summit is a hub for thought leadership, featuring:

by global education leaders and advocates to inspire you general information. focusing on literacy policy, digital education, early childhood literacy, and more The World Literacy Foundation is a global not-for-profit organisation working to lift young people out of poverty through the power of literacy. They believe that every child should be able to read and write so they can enjoy lifelong learning and empowerment. They are committed to building strong partnerships, providing assistance to grassroots literacy organisations and maximizing their impact through innovative solutions that bring quality education materials to classrooms across the world. Since its establishment in 2003, the World Literacy Foundation has steadily grown to align with the needs of a continually evolving education sector.

They have forged partnerships with other leading educational organisations, and have built long-lasting relationships with communities around the world. The World Literacy Foundation significantly dedicates their time and resources to conducting research, and uses resulting information to help advocate in local communities as well as on a global scale. They mobilise communities through their passionate volunteers, and seek to give individuals a voice so that they can also act as advocates for literacy within their own communities. They believe that raising community awareness is vital to the improvement of literacy standards. As they move towards the future, the World Literacy Foundation is blending their approach of traditional learning methods with digital tools. They believe that multi-modal learning will be a valuable solution to decreasing the world’s illiteracy rates.

The World Literacy Foundation aims to continue to advocate for better global literacy standards, and is excited to establish new, innovative programs in this next phase of the organisation. The World Literacy Foundation (WLF) is a global not-for-profit that works to lift young people out of poverty through the power of literacy. Founded in Melbourne, Australia in 2003, the World Literacy Foundation operates on the principle that education is a basic human right, and through the promotion of literacy and the provision of educational resources, aims... Since its establishment in 2003, the World Literacy Foundation has grown to align with the needs of an evolving education sector. The WLF has worked towards forging partnerships with other leading educational and related not-for-profit organisations, and has built long-lasting relationships within communities around the world. The WLF significantly dedicates its time and resources to conducting research, and uses resulting information to help advocate in local communities as well as on a global scale.

It mobilise communities through passionate volunteers, and seeks to give individuals a voice so that they can also act as advocates for literacy within their own communities. The WLF believes that raising community awareness is vital to the improvement of literacy standards. The WLF annually monitors a range of indicators in the education area and prepares a report on economic and social cost of illiteracy. In 2012, the WLF compiled a report which focuses on the economic and social cost of illiteracy in the United Kingdom. The research was devoted to economic and social cost of illiteracy in the country. It stated that one in five of the UK population is functionally illiterate and this rate costs the national economy 81 billion pounds a year in lost earnings and high welfare spending.

The WLF convened the World Literacy Summit at Oxford University (UK) in April 2012 to stimulate co-operation in the global literacy sector in order to support 796 million illiterate people in developed and developing... The list of invited delegates included about 300 leaders in the fields of government, development, literacy and academic sectors. The Oxford Declaration became the resulting document of this event; it was designed to combine efforts of government, business, non-governmental organizations and educational institutions to promote literacy worldwide.

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