Our Work in Timor-Leste

In Timor-Leste, The Library Project provides Reading Rooms, Reading Corners, Book Donations, and Literacy Programs to rural schools and community centers. These programs expand access to age-appropriate books and welcoming reading spaces while helping children strengthen the literacy skills they need to succeed in school.

Our Reading Rooms create dedicated spaces where children can explore books and develop regular reading habits. Reading Corners bring books directly into classrooms and other learning spaces, while Book Donations strengthen existing collections. Our Literacy Programs create additional opportunities for children to practice reading and build confidence, while Training & Support helps educators and community-based partners strengthen literacy programming.

The Library Project also provides Capacity Building for local literacy nonprofit organizations in Timor-Leste. This support is free of charge and may include one-on-one mentoring, planning tools, fundraising guidance, program development support, and access to practical resources. By strengthening local organizations, we help build long-term, community-led literacy impact.

Literacy in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste has made significant progress rebuilding and expanding its education system since independence, but many children still struggle to develop strong foundational reading skills. UNICEF reports that approximately 70 percent of Grade 1 students do not meet basic learning outcomes, while a World Bank review of early-grade assessments found that more than 70 percent of Grade 1 students scored zero on measures of text reading, fluency, and comprehension.

Children in rural communities face additional challenges. UNICEF identifies limited facilities, learning resources, repetition, dropout, and language diversity as continuing barriers to quality education, with children in rural areas disproportionately affected. National data also show that while 90 percent of primary-school-age children attend school, only 54 percent of lower-secondary-age children do so, illustrating how participation declines as children grow older.

Language presents another important challenge to learning. Timor-Leste has more than 20 local languages in addition to the official languages of Tetun and Portuguese. UNESCO and UNICEF report that more than 70 percent of children enter school without fluency in the official languages, making it more difficult for many students to understand classroom instruction and develop early literacy skills.

Access to books and appropriate learning materials can help create stronger environments for literacy development, particularly in rural communities. The Library Project’s work in Timor-Leste responds to these needs by expanding access to books and reading spaces, supporting Literacy Programs, strengthening educators and community partners through Training & Support, and building the capacity of local literacy nonprofit organizations.