Kenya
Where We Work
Our goal is to ensure every child, no matter where they live, has the opportunity to read, learn, and grow.
Our Work in Kenya
In Kenya, The Library Project helps create places where children can encounter books regularly and develop a stronger connection to reading. Reading Rooms provide dedicated spaces for children to read and learn, while Reading Corners bring books directly into classrooms and community settings. Book Donations help expand existing collections so children have access to a greater variety of age-appropriate reading materials.
Our work also focuses on what happens once those books reach children. Literacy Programs provide opportunities to practice reading, strengthen comprehension, and build confidence. Through Training & Support, teachers, educators, and community partners gain practical tools for using books effectively and creating environments where literacy can develop over time.
Strong local organizations are essential to sustaining this work. Through Capacity Building, The Library Project provides free mentoring, program-development support, fundraising guidance, planning tools, and other practical resources to literacy nonprofits in Kenya. This approach strengthens organizations already rooted in their communities and helps them expand their long-term impact.
Literacy in Kenya
In Kenya, children enter school eager to learn, but face significant barriers that prevent them from becoming confident readers. According to the 2023 Flana report, 3 in 10 Grade 6 learners and 2 in 10 Grade 8 learners cannot read at a Grade 3 level in English. Challenges include under-resourced classrooms, frequent language transitions between the mother tongue and English, and limited access to age-appropriate books. These factors contribute to a learning gap that often follows students into higher grades and beyond. Compounding the problem, only 23% of public primary schools in Kenya have libraries, with rural and peri-urban schools being the most disadvantaged.
With the transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum, literacy is increasingly recognized as a foundational life skill that can be developed through practical, engaging, and learner-centered activities. CBE shifts learning away from rote memorization toward fostering competencies such as problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking—skills that are best nurtured through a love of reading. These competencies align with the vision of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which positions education as a key driver of a fair, inclusive, and sustainable world.
Our programs directly address these issues by donating quality storybooks, establishing school libraries, distributing Literacy Bags, and providing training to educators and parents. Through these efforts, we aim to support children both in school and at home, enabling them to develop foundational reading skills, feel confident in their learning, and thrive in their educational journey.
Kenya
Our Work:
- Libraries
- Literacy Programs
- Training & Support
- Capacity Building
Support Children's Literacy Today.
Millions of children attend schools without libraries or access to quality books.
Cambodia
Where We Work
Our goal is to ensure every child, no matter where they live, has the opportunity to read, learn, and grow.
Our Work in Cambodia
In Cambodia, The Library Project provides free Reading Rooms, Reading Corners, Book Donations, and Literacy Programs to rural schools and community centers. These programs increase access to age-appropriate books, create more opportunities for children to read, and help students strengthen the literacy skills they need to continue learning.
We also provide Remedial Reading Lessons for marginalized children and youth who need additional support in developing foundational reading skills. Training & Support helps educators and community-based partners strengthen literacy programming and create learning environments where children can develop stronger reading habits.
The Library Project also provides Capacity Building for local literacy nonprofit organizations in Cambodia. 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 Cambodia
Cambodia has made important progress in improving children’s learning, but significant reading challenges remain. Results from the 2024 Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics, released in 2025, found that 39 percent of Cambodian Grade 5 students reached high proficiency in reading, up from 27 percent in 2019. At the same time, 37 percent of students remained at the lowest levels of reading proficiency, demonstrating the continued need for foundational and remedial literacy support.
Learning opportunities are also unequal. Students from Cambodia’s poorest families scored 16 points lower in reading than students from wealthier households in the 2024 assessment. UNICEF also reports that children living in poor, rural, and deprived communities face greater barriers to education. Only 67 percent of ethnic minority children complete primary education, compared with 84 percent nationally, while children with disabilities face particularly high levels of exclusion from school.
These disparities matter because children who do not develop strong reading skills in the early grades can struggle as textbooks and classroom instruction become increasingly complex. Cambodia’s national Early Grade Reading efforts have demonstrated that structured instruction, teacher support, and additional help for struggling learners can improve reading outcomes.
The Library Project’s work in Cambodia responds to these needs by expanding access to books and reading spaces, supporting literacy and remedial reading programs, strengthening educators through Training & Support, and building the capacity of local literacy organizations.
Cambodia
Our Work:
- Remedial reading Lessons
- Literacy Programs
- Training & Support
- Capacity Building
Support Children's Literacy Today.
Millions of children attend schools without libraries or access to quality books.
Hong Kong SAR
Where We Work
Our goal is to ensure every child, no matter where they live, has the opportunity to read, learn, and grow.
Our Work in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, The Library Project focuses on making books easier for children to access in the places where they already learn and spend time. Reading Corners bring age-appropriate books directly into classrooms and community spaces, while Book Donations strengthen existing collections and give children a wider range of reading choices.
Our Literacy Programs help children build stronger reading habits, comprehension, and confidence. Through Training & Support, we work with educators and community partners to help them use books more effectively, strengthen literacy activities, and create environments where reading becomes a regular part of children’s learning.
We also provide Capacity Building for local literacy nonprofit organizations in Hong Kong. This support may include mentoring, program development, fundraising guidance, planning tools, and other practical resources that help organizations strengthen their work and expand their long-term impact.
Literacy in Hong Kong
Hong Kong has one of the strongest-performing education systems internationally, but recent results show that reading outcomes have weakened. In PISA 2025, 78 percent of Hong Kong’s 15-year-old students reached at least the baseline level of reading proficiency, compared with 69 percent across OECD countries. At the same time, 22 percent did not reach that baseline level.
The longer-term trend is also important. Hong Kong’s 2025 results were lower than in 2022 in reading, mathematics, and science, and were the lowest recorded for Hong Kong since it began participating in PISA. Compared with 2015, the proportion of students performing below the baseline reading level increased by 13 percentage points.
Differences in educational opportunity also remain. PISA 2025 found that socioeconomic background continued to influence student performance, even though the gap in Hong Kong was smaller than the OECD average. Schools also reported some continuing resource constraints, including shortages of educational materials such as textbooks, technology, and library materials.
These trends show that even in a high-performing education system, continued access to engaging books and strong literacy support remains important. The Library Project contributes by placing books directly into learning environments, providing Literacy Programs, strengthening educators through Training & Support, and investing in locally led organizations through Capacity Building.
Hong Kong SAR
Our Work:
- Libraries
- Literacy Programs
- Training & Support
- Capacity Building
- Fundraising
Support Children's Literacy Today.
Millions of children attend schools without libraries or access to quality books.
United States of America
Where We Work
Our goal is to ensure every child, no matter where they live, has the opportunity to read, learn, and grow.
Our Work in the United States
In the United States, The Library Project works with schools and local nonprofit organizations to help more students develop strong reading habits and literacy skills. Classroom Libraries place high-quality, age-appropriate books directly where students learn, giving them regular opportunities to explore stories, discover new interests, and read independently.
Book Donations help schools and education programs strengthen existing collections, while our Literacy Programs create additional opportunities for students to practice reading, improve comprehension, and build confidence. Through Training & Support, we also work with educators and community partners to strengthen literacy instruction and make more effective use of books and reading activities.
The Library Project also provides Capacity Building for literacy-focused nonprofit organizations across the United States. Through free mentoring, practical tools, fundraising guidance, program development support, and other organizational resources, we help local organizations strengthen their programs and expand sustainable literacy opportunities for the students and communities they serve.
Literacy in the United States
The United States has a highly developed education system, but millions of students continue to struggle with reading. According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 31 percent of fourth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in reading, down from 33 percent in 2022 and 35 percent in 2019. At the same time, 40 percent of fourth graders performed below the NAEP Basic level, demonstrating substantial difficulty with the knowledge and skills measured by the national assessment.
Reading performance has also continued to decline. The average fourth-grade reading score fell between 2022 and 2024, with declines affecting students across nearly the entire performance distribution. Rural students were among the groups whose average reading scores declined, and nationally, only 30 percent of fourth-grade public-school students reached or exceeded NAEP Proficient in 2024. Across individual states and jurisdictions, proficiency ranged from just 20 percent to 48 percent.
Educational opportunity is not equal for every child. NAEP data continue to show significant differences in reading performance associated with socioeconomic circumstances, while students with disabilities and English learners can face additional barriers to developing strong literacy skills. These differences mean that access to appropriate books, effective literacy instruction, and additional opportunities to practice reading remain important even in communities with established school systems.
The Library Project responds by putting books directly into classrooms, strengthening school and community collections, supporting Literacy Programs, helping educators through Training & Support, and investing in local literacy organizations through Capacity Building. Together, these approaches help create more opportunities for students to read, learn, and become confident lifelong readers.
United States of America
Our Work:
- Libraries
- Literacy Programs
- Training & Support
- Capacity Building
- Fundraising
Our Work in Action
Our programs expand access to books, strengthen literacy skills, and help children become confident readers. These photos offer a glimpse into our work in action.
Support Children's Literacy Today.
Millions of children attend schools without libraries or access to quality books.
Book Donations
Even the best libraries need to grow. Through our Book Donations, The Library Project provides additional, high-quality books to schools that already have libraries but lack the resources to keep their collections current. These donations refresh existing shelves with new titles that reflect children’s interests and align with their educational needs.
By expanding the variety and relevance of books available, we help teachers and students continue to engage with reading in meaningful ways. Every book donation strengthens a school’s ability to inspire curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.
Book Content Core Values
A meticulously curated selection of children's books.
Quality Children's Books
Local language and age-appropriate children’s books.
STEAM Education
Books focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths.
Inclusive Programming
Libraries that promote equality and female empowerment.
Teacher Training
All schools receive comprehensive in-person and online teacher training.
Monitoring & Evaluation
94% of our libraries are used on a daily-to-weekly basis after the first year.
Our Book Content Core Values
Our book content core values guide everything we do at The Library Project. They shape the libraries we build, the literacy programs we deliver, and the training we provide to teachers and parents. Each book we select reflects these values, helping children explore diverse ideas, think critically, and discover the joy of reading.
Our Core Values
- STEAM Education – Encouraging curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving through science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
- Inclusion & Diversity – Promoting empathy and understanding by celebrating different cultures, abilities, and perspectives.
- Protecting the Environment – Inspiring children to value and care for the natural world around them.
- Girls’ Education – Supporting gender equality and empowering girls through access to education and knowledge.
- Promoting World Peace – Encouraging kindness, cooperation, and global awareness through the stories children read.
- Nurturing the Heart & Mind – Building emotional intelligence and compassion alongside intellectual growth.
Children’s Literacy Programs
Once a library is established, it becomes crucial to introduce students to the enriching world of books. The primary goal of our literacy programs is straightforward: ignite a passion for reading among children. These programs are also designed to educate teachers and administrators on the best practices for engaging children with their new library resources.
Our literacy programs focus on engagement, training, and sustainability. We create an enthusiastic atmosphere by making reading an exciting activity and encouraging children to explore their new library from day one. We also recognize the crucial role of educators in this process, equipping them with the skills and techniques needed to maintain this excitement and engagement, ensuring that the libraries remain active in the educational environment.
Our literacy programs are integral to why our libraries achieve immediate use and continue to be a vital resource in fostering literacy and enhancing educational outcomes.
Teacher Training & Ongoing Support
At The Library Project, we recognize the critical role educators play in the success of our libraries. We offer comprehensive training and ongoing support to ensure that teachers and administrators are well-equipped to make the most of the resources provided.
Our approach includes librarian training, on-site training, online training, and ongoing support. This multifaceted strategy allows us to address various needs and preferences, ensuring that every educator receives the guidance and tools necessary to manage their new school’s library well.
Through these comprehensive training and support initiatives, The Library Project ensures that educators are prepared and continually supported in their efforts to foster a culture of reading and learning in their schools. This holistic approach enhances the effectiveness of our library donations and maximizes their impact on students’ educational journeys.
Where We Donate Reading Rooms
Rural Elementary Schools
The Library Project partners with rural elementary schools to provide essential educational resources through Reading Room donations. These libraries are stocked with high-quality, age-appropriate books in the local language to improve reading proficiency. Our initiatives also include children’s literacy programs and teacher training to enhance the educational experience and ensure sustainable use of the Reading Room. We aim to bridge the resource gap for students in these remote areas by addressing the need for educational materials. Our efforts ensure every child has access to the tools needed for a quality education.
Community Centers, Orphanages, and Children’s Hospitals
The Library Project donates Reading Rooms to community centers, orphanages, and children’s hospitals, enhancing literacy and education. We provide libraries with educational books, conduct literacy programs, and offer administrator training to ensure sustainable use and foster a reading culture. These initiatives create supportive environments that aid children’s educational and emotional development. By integrating our resources into these institutions, we offer essential support to children and families, promoting knowledge, inspiration, and well-being.
Support Children's Literacy Today.
Millions of children attend schools without libraries or access to quality books.
Training & Support
Introduction
A library filled with books is powerful, but it needs champions. Teachers, parents, and local literacy organizations are the bridge between access and lifelong literacy. When educators are equipped, caregivers are supported, and community-based organizations are strengthened, children have greater opportunities to flourish in reading, learning, and growth. On this page, we explore the challenges teachers, families, and literacy organizations face, and show how The Library Project works alongside them.
Teacher Training & Support
Teachers are the gatekeepers of literacy; the ones who bring books to life and help students become confident readers. In rural contexts, many teachers face large class sizes, limited materials, weak access to ongoing professional development, and isolation from peer networks.
At The Library Project, our Teacher Training program provides workshops, classroom coaching, and mentoring to build teacher capacity in guided reading, book handling, and creating a print-rich environment. We focus on practical methods: read-aloud strategies, small-group reading, book selection, and literacy integration across subjects. Our trainings are contextualized to rural realities so teachers can apply them immediately in their classrooms.
Because we know that learning is continuous, we also offer refresher sessions, peer learning circles, and monitoring visits to ensure quality and sustainability. By investing in teachers, we increase the likelihood that libraries become vibrant places of reading, not unused book repositories.
Parent & Family Support
Many rural families face serious barriers when it comes to supporting their children’s literacy journey. Parents often contend with low literacy themselves, limited time (due to agricultural or labor burdens), scarce reading materials at home, poor infrastructure (electricity, lighting), and digital divides that make accessing resources difficult. In rural areas, lack of access to education and transport further compounds this, keeping families isolated from support systems. 
A study on rural literacy programs notes that while reading programs in schools can raise performance, lasting gains depend heavily on community and parental engagement, for instance, through reading dialogues at home or simple print materials shared with caregivers. 
As UNESCO puts it: “Disparities based on location and household wealth are more pronounced … rural and poorer families experience greater disadvantages.” 
To address these challenges, The Library Project supports parents through family reading workshops, simple reading guides, take-home materials (to accompany our Literacy Bags), and community events. These efforts help caregivers grow confidence in reading with children, even when their own education was limited. Over time, we aim to transform homes into literate environments that reinforce what children learn at school.
Capacity Building for Global Literacy Organizations
The Library Project also supports small and growing literacy organizations around the world through capacity building, mentoring, and practical tools. Many local organizations are deeply connected to the communities they serve, but they often face challenges with fundraising, program design, donor reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and long-term organizational sustainability.
Through our Global Literacy Partnerships, we share nearly two decades of experience in library donations, literacy programming, teacher training, parent engagement, and nonprofit operations. We work alongside partner organizations to strengthen their ability to plan effective literacy programs, manage donor-funded projects, measure impact, and communicate results clearly. This support may include one-on-one mentoring, proposal guidance, budgeting tools, program templates, reporting support, and access to a global network of literacy-focused organizations.
By investing in local literacy organizations, we help expand access to books, libraries, and reading programs beyond the communities we directly serve. Our goal is to strengthen the organizations already working on the ground so they can grow sustainably, serve more children, and build lasting literacy programs in their own communities.
Literacy
Opening the Door to Opportunity
Literacy changes everything. It helps children learn, connect, and dream beyond the classroom. Yet for millions of children around the world, learning to read remains out of reach. At The Library Project, we believe that literacy is more than a skill; it’s a human right and the foundation for a brighter future.
The Challenge
In many rural communities, children attend schools with few or no books. According to the World Bank, seven in ten children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple text by age ten. Without early access to reading materials or guided instruction, many students fall behind, limiting their ability to learn across all subjects.
The challenge goes beyond access. Teachers often lack training and resources to teach reading effectively, and many parents don’t have the tools to support learning at home. This creates a cycle where children struggle to build literacy skills, even when they are eager to learn.
Our Approach
The libraries we build solve the challenge of access, giving children a place to explore books and discover the joy of reading. But our commitment goes further. We strengthen literacy through children’s reading programs, teacher training, and parent engagement.
By training teachers, we ensure libraries are not just rooms filled with books but dynamic learning spaces led by skilled educators. Teachers are the gatekeepers of every library; their ability to inspire students turns access into achievement. Meanwhile, by supporting parents, we help create literate homes, environments where children see reading as part of daily life.
Our approach connects classrooms, libraries, and families to ensure that literacy becomes a community value, not just a school goal.
Building a Culture of Reading
When children have access to books, teachers have the tools to teach, and parents have the confidence to support them, literacy flourishes. Through our ongoing programs, we cultivate reading habits that last a lifetime. Each book, activity, and training session builds toward a shared goal: helping children not only learn to read, but love to read.
You can learn more about how we measure and sustain these outcomes in our Our Impact and Measuring Our Impact pages.
Libraries
Building Spaces for Learning
Libraries open doors to possibility. For many children in rural communities, a library is the first place they’ve ever had access to books. It’s more than shelves and stories; it’s a space where curiosity grows, creativity is encouraged, and a love of learning begins.
At The Library Project, we build libraries that meet children and communities where they are. Each library we create is designed to inspire reading, strengthen education, and support teachers and parents in nurturing lifelong learners.
Why Libraries Matter
Around the world, millions of children attend schools with no access to books or safe, dedicated spaces to read. According to UNESCO, literacy is “the foundation for lifelong learning,” yet in many low- and middle-income countries, seven in ten children cannot read and understand a simple story by age ten (World Bank, 2022).
Libraries make learning possible. They provide essential reading materials, encourage exploration, and empower teachers to make reading part of everyday classroom life. By investing in libraries, we’re investing in stronger schools, confident readers, and thriving communities.
Our Library Types
Every community is different, and so is every library we build. From full Reading Rooms to compact Reading Corners and take-home Literacy Bags, each library is designed to meet children and teachers where they are, creating spaces that make reading accessible, joyful, and sustainable.
Reading Rooms
Reading Rooms transform existing school spaces into bright, inviting libraries filled with books, tables, chairs, and shelving designed for children. Working with local education departments, we repurpose unused classrooms into inspiring learning spaces that serve the entire school.
Reading Corners
Reading Corners bring books directly into classrooms and community centers, giving children and teachers access to diverse, high-quality titles. Each Reading Corner creates a welcoming place where children can explore, learn, and grow every day.
Book Donations
Book Donations strengthen existing school libraries by providing new, high-quality books that keep collections fresh and engaging. Each donation helps students discover new stories, explore new ideas, and continue their journey as lifelong readers.
Literacy Bags
Literacy Bags give children their very own collection of books to take home; their first personal library. Distributed through schools and local partners, these bags help families build a reading culture that continues beyond the classroom.
Our Book Content Core Values
Our book content core values guide everything we do at The Library Project. They shape the libraries we build, the literacy programs we deliver, and the training we provide to teachers and parents. Each book we select reflects these values, helping children explore diverse ideas, think critically, and discover the joy of reading.
Our Core Values
- STEAM Education – Encouraging curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving through science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
- Inclusion & Diversity – Promoting empathy and understanding by celebrating different cultures, abilities, and perspectives.
- Protecting the Environment – Inspiring children to value and care for the natural world around them.
- Girls’ Education – Supporting gender equality and empowering girls through access to education and knowledge.
- Promoting World Peace – Encouraging kindness, cooperation, and global awareness through the stories children read.
- Nurturing the Heart & Mind – Building emotional intelligence and compassion alongside intellectual growth.
Support Children's Literacy Today.
Millions of children attend schools without libraries or access to quality books.
One Book at a Time
Every child, no matter where they live, should have the opportunity to read, learn, and grow. The Library Project works with rural and underserved schools, community centers, refugee communities, and local nonprofit organizations to ensure children have the books, literacy support, and learning environments they need to become strong, confident readers.
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Twenty Years of Impact
For two decades, The Library Project has built libraries, donated books, trained teachers, and inspired young readers. Our programs have transformed education for more than one million children, and we are just getting started.
1,489,000
Children Impacted
45,795
Teachers Trained
2,345,000
Books Donated
8,196
Libraries Donated
News & Updates
Each library opens doors to imagination, knowledge, and opportunity for children in underserved communities.
Where We Work
Our goal is to ensure every child, no matter where they live, has the opportunity to read, learn, and grow.
Support Children's Literacy Today.
Millions of children attend schools without libraries or access to quality books.
Teacher Training
Introduction
At The Library Project, we recognize the critical role educators play in the success of our libraries. We offer comprehensive training and ongoing support to ensure that teachers and administrators are well-equipped to make the most of the resources provided.
Librarian Training
We provide a specialized librarian training course tailored for teachers and administrators who manage their school’s library. This course covers essential aspects such as:
- Library Maintenance: Teaching the best practices for caring for books and library facilities.
- Utilization in Teaching: How to effectively use library books in the classroom setting to enhance lesson plans.
- Staff Involvement: Strategies to involve the entire teaching staff in maintaining and utilizing the library resources.
On-site Training
Our on-site training sessions bring practical skills and theoretical knowledge to life, tailored specifically for teachers who will conduct children’s reading lessons. Key components include:
- Skill Development: Focus on cultivating children’s interests and independent reading skills.
- Practical Implementation: Hands-on training that helps teachers integrate these new skills into their everyday teaching.
Online Training
To provide continuous professional support, we offer:
- Accessible Online Resources: Regular online video training sessions are available to teachers across all program regions.
- Focused Training Modules: These modules cover reading skills, teaching methods, and text analysis, directly linking with teachers’ daily activities.
Ongoing Supports
We foster a supportive community through:
- Digital Communication Platforms: Using tools like Tencent QQ and WeChat, we create groups for school librarians, principals, and teachers to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration.
- Problem-Solving: These platforms allow teachers to share challenges and receive advice from experienced staff and external experts, ensuring they have the support needed to overcome obstacles in library management and reading instruction.
Through these comprehensive training and support initiatives, The Library Project ensures that educators are prepared and continually supported in their efforts to foster a culture of reading and learning in their schools. This holistic approach enhances the effectiveness of our library donations and maximizes their impact on students’ educational journeys.