Basic Education and Literacy
Hello fellow Rotarians! I hope you are all doing well as you collectively continue to positively impact your community.
September is the Basic Education and Literacy month per the Rotary calendar. Basic education and literacy is one of The Rotary Foundation’s six areas of focus. Basic education and literacy are essential for reducing poverty, improving health, encouraging community and economic development, and promoting peace. Some basic points to consider-
· If all women completed primary education, there would be 66% fewer maternal deaths.
· A child born to a mother who can read is 50% more likely to survive past the age of five.
· If all students in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills, 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty, which would be equivalent to a 12% cut in world poverty.
· 58 million children worldwide are out of school.
· Even after four years of primary schooling, as many as 250 million children cannot read and write.
· 781 million adults are illiterate.
According to a 2014 United Nations Millennium Development Goals progress report, literacy rates among adults and youth are on the rise and the gender gap in literacy is narrowing but pressing global needs remain.
I encourage that we strive to devote this month to services geared towards volunteering for projects related to literacy.
Have a great month and remain blessed!