According to YCG Coordinator, Mr. Dimitri Nicholson, the targeted children will want to read as they will have more access to reading material.

He said, last week Thursday, that YCG will be collecting data on communities in need for the pilot of a literacy project that would start at a few schools in Regions One (Barima/Waini), Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo).

Nicholson said YCG, the main implementing partner, will pursue a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Education to ascertain children needs locally and then work with Change 1 to garner resources for the national objective of poverty alleviation, which is directly linked to literacy.

Adjei said: “If just one child is enriched, encouraged and motivated to read more and develop a love for learning through this initiative, then we have done our job.”

She told the Guyana Chronicle that initiation of the literacy programme in Guyana is an effort to provide new help for children’s education.

Adjei said Change 1 aims to inspire a love for learning in children through reading, so as to empower them to reach their full potential, not only in this country but Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria, Indonesia, India and the Philippines, among others.

She said her involvement gives her an opportunity to give back to the country that has had a strong influence on the person she is today.

The target group is pre-nursery to grade three children living in disadvantaged communities who do not have access to the same resources as those where schools are better supported.

Consequently, the partners have undertaken to start five book clubs countrywide in remote places and Georgetown, providing them with reading materials on a monthly basis, like would be done for three to nine years olds in schools.

For that purpose, Adjei said she would visit here once a year to volunteer in the clubs as well as other areas of concern to children.

She said, collaborating with YCG, Change 1 has been able to get volunteers from the communities to become reading partners for children.

“We will also work with YCG to give children in disadvantaged areas school supplies, shoes and other necessities that will make their lives better and allow them to be successful in school,” Adjei promised.