24-08-28012
INGO ID 24-08-28012
Bureau Reg No.
2376
Room to Read Bangladesh
Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read is creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality through education. We are achieving this goal by providing support during two of the most critical time periods in a child’s education: primary school for literacy acquisition and secondary school for life skills acquisition, particularly for girls. Our Literacy Program trains and coaches teachers, creates quality books and curricular materials and establishes libraries filled with diverse children’s books in local languages that can be enjoyed at school or home. Our Girls’ Education Program helps girls succeed in secondary school and negotiate key life decisions by supporting them as they increase their resilience, leadership, collaboration, critical thinking and decision-making skills. We do so by providing girls with positive role models, life skills classes, opportunities for mentorship and peer support, and family, school and community engagement. We also deliver remote solutions that leverage local broadcast media networks and internet-based technologies to facilitate learning beyond the classroom. Room to Read collaborates with local communities, partner organizations and governments to test and implement innovative models that can be integrated into the education system to deliver positive outcomes for children at scale. To date, Room to Read has benefited more than 39 million children and has worked in more than 192,000 communities and 24 countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Grenada, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, United States, Vietnam and Zambia. Room to Read plans to benefit 40 million children by 2025. Learn more about us globally at www.roomtoread.org And about Bangladesh chapter at www.roomtoread.org.bd
Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments, we develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond.
We envision a world in which all children can pursue a quality education that prepares them to be fulfilled and make positive change – in their families, communities and the world.
CARES
Collaboration: We value partnership.
Action: We take ownership to achieve positive outcomes.
Respect: We find joy in celebrating accomplishments together.
Education: We are a learning organization with a passion for education.
Scale: We focus on benefiting the most children possible, as quickly as possible.
Room to Read Bangladesh has completed registration with the NGO Affairs Bureau (NGOAB) under the Prime Minister’s Office of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh on 10 July 2008. Our registration number with NGOAB is 2376. The registration has been renewed till 2028.
Room to Read Bangladesh officially launched Literacy and Girls’ Education Programs in 2009. The initial focus was in rural areas – particularly the sandbar islands of the Sirajganj district (Rajshahi Division), the low-lying terrain of the Brahamanbaria district (Chittagong Division), and the remote plains of the Natore district (Rajshahi Division) where realities meant high illiteracy and drop-out rates, low government funding for education, and weak or no support from other international non-profits focusing education interventions.
Demonstrating the Program approach and collaborating with the central Government, we have made several inroads with Governmental entities to integrate literacy component and equality interventions into the classrooms. Towards achieving SDG4, the Government’s five-year Primary Development Education Program (PDEP-4) has adopted Room to Read’s classroom library model despite limited resources to fully implement it across the country.
Room to Read is working closely with the Department of Primary Education (DPE), the National Academy for Primary Education (NAPE), and the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) to support broader professional development for teachers. Discussion with NAPE to create a Master Trainer is underway. Members of the Bangladesh literacy staff are currently part of the national curriculum review committee and have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to share best practices on the Government’s digital platform.
For girls’ education, Room to Read Bangladesh has been working with the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) to advocate on issues such as child marriage and girls’ rights. The organization is building the capacity of Government teachers to deliver life skills sessions within classrooms, instead of through Social Mobilizers. Besides targeting girls in the rural communities, Program within Dhaka city was taken up to address the gender inequality that increased the risk of safety, health, educational attainment, and life outcomes for girls.
