We Love Reading

Dear Valued Donors, 

Day by day, we continue to bring the joy of reading aloud to neighborhoods around the world, expanding our libraries beyond boundaries and nurturing a love of reading in every child. We are delighted to share with you the remarkable progress achieved over the past four months and the growing impact of your support. 

Our online training, “How to Read Aloud for Children,” has reached an important milestone. A total of 122 new ambassadors worldwide have completed the training in multiple languages, joining a vibrant global network of over a thousand We Love Reading ambassadors. 

Internationally, the We Love Reading program has expanded its reach through a meaningful partnership with the Young Leaders Academy in South Africa. This collaboration addresses critical early literacy challenges, particularly in communities where access to libraries is limited and many children struggle with reading comprehension by the end of primary school. 

Through this partnership, 121 reading ambassadors were trained across three regions. Together, they conducted 92 read-aloud sessions, reaching 1,595 children and distributing over 2,391 books. This initiative highlights the sustainability of the We Love Reading model, where trained ambassadors empower others, creating a ripple effect that extends the program’s impact. By fostering community ownership and forming partnerships with local organizations and early childhood centers, the program ensures long-term impact and meaningful change. 

Locally in Jordan, inspiring stories continue to emerge. In Ajloun Governorate, Rita Al-Khattatbeh transformed a children’s play center into a reading space. Initially facing the challenge of capturing children’s attention in a play-focused environment, Rita discovered how storytelling could be both engaging and transformative. She established a small library within the center, encouraging families to borrow books and continue reading at home. 

One particularly touching moment came after she read “The Word Chef,” a children’s book developed by We Love Reading. A young girl, inspired by the story, created her own illustrated version and began teaching others how to use kind and beautiful words. Rita shares that the program not only enriched the children’s experiences but also strengthened her own confidence, creativity, and ability to lead initiatives within her community. 

Another powerful read-aloud session was led by Dr. Rula Sinokrot, whose journey reflects the deep human impact of reading aloud. A retired dentist with a background in educational psychology, she found renewed purpose through the program. By organizing read-aloud sessions alongside community events, what began as small gatherings grew into sessions attended by nearly fifty children, many of whom eagerly anticipate each reading session. 

The impact stories are endless, among them. Banah Allawama, a junior at King’s Academy and a We Love Reading ambassador, is another inspiring example. Her initiative, “Banana Reads,” reflects the power of youth-led storytelling. 

Banah’s relationship with books began early. As a child, she was surrounded by stories read aloud by her parents moments that planted a lifelong love for reading. Over the years, that passion deepened, leading her to represent Jordan’s Southern Region twice as a finalist in the Arab Reading Challenge, a milestone that affirmed her commitment to books and learning. 

Her journey took a new turn when she completed the We Love Reading training. Through this experience, Banah discovered not only the power of storytelling, but also how meaningful it is when stories are shared with others. 

At King’s Academy, Banah now spends her free time reading to children at the campus daycare. Driven by the belief that storytelling should come from young voices as well, Banah founded “Banana Reads,” a student-led club that introduces peers to the read-aloud model and creates opportunities for them to share stories with children. The club empowers students to become storytellers, fostering empathy, confidence, and community through books. 

Banah hopes that every child will experience reading the way she did surrounded by encouragement, warmth, and people who believe that stories are meant to be shared.  

In a special partnership aligned with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the program collaborated with INJAZ, a local partner, to deliver an interactive session focused on inclusion, empowerment, and leadership. The session, presented by Prof. Rana Dajani, emphasized the importance of accessible reading and highlighted how storytelling can foster empathy, respect, and understanding among children of all abilities. Several We Love Reading books also address these themes. 

Within our Children’s Book Development Department, a total of 746 books were distributed over the past four months. Each ambassador received a package of 23 carefully designed books to establish their own community library. These books are thoughtfully developed to reflect children’s cultural contexts and address key themes such as environmental awareness, empathy, gender equality, non-violence, disability inclusion, refugee experiences, and climate change. 

We are deeply grateful for your continued support. Your generosity makes it possible to transform communities, empower individuals, and inspire children through the power of reading. 

Thank you for being part of this journey. We look forward to sharing even more stories of impact with you. 

Links:

• 1 Million Asmaas Initiative
• We Love Reading Online Training
• We Love Reading Website

Dear Valued Donors,

We are continuing our mission to establish a library in every neighborhood, and we are excited to share the achievements we have accomplished.

Over the last four months, the WLR online training on "How to Read Aloud for Children" has reached a significant milestone. A total of 90 new ambassadors worldwide have received the training in multiple languages, joining the ever-growing network of over a thousand WLR ambassadors across the globe. In addition to the thousands in Jordan.

The We Love Reading program established two partnerships around the world and reached 81 countries. The first partnership is a collaboration with the Psychological and Reflexology Reception Center (PRRC) in Malawi, nearly 186 ambassadors (men and women) have been trained. This partnership came in response to the urgent need to address the increasing psychological suffering of refugees and vulnerable groups, particularly those affected by mental illness, trauma, physical disabilities, and social marginalization.

The second partnership: the Farrukh Foundation and Fundación Magic World partnered with We Love Reading to promote the love of reading in educational centers across Colombia. This collaboration aims to foster a love of reading for pleasure, adapting the WLR model to fit the school environment, with teachers overseeing the sessions and older students given the opportunity to read to younger children under proper guidance.

In Egypt, a special training through a joint collaboration was launched between the We Love Reading program and the Children of Female Prisoners Care Association.

This partnership followed the visit of Dr. Nawal Mostafa, the association’s founder, to the We Love Reading headquarters in Amman, Jordan, where her schedule included theoretical and practical activities, field visits to read-aloud sessions, and intensive meetings with the program’s team and the founder of WLR, Prof. Rana Dajani, to plan the implementation stages and establish libraries featuring WLR’s children’s books. The training was conducted online over two days. The first day introduced the program’s philosophy and key studies on the impact of reading in communities, while the second day focused on practical applications of reading aloud and interactive activities with participants. One of the trainees, Mr. Tareq Al-Rifai, shared that the read-aloud sessions were highly positive, as children enjoyed the stories and engaged with them attentively.

In Syria, our ambassador Sanaa Abidat received We Love Reading training last year in Daraa Governorate, southern Syria. She began teaching children to read after noticing the severe educational gap caused by the war and the lack of reading, seeing in the program an opportunity to address this issue. After the training, Sanaa began regularly reading to children, including reading stories in English, aiming to improve their behavior and enhance their skills through read-aloud sessions.

Some teachers noticed the impact of these sessions on the children and began borrowing stories from her while learning to apply read-aloud techniques themselves. Sanaa emphasizes that more than half of the children in Daraa have experienced a true tragedy during the war, having been exposed to violence and deprived of educational opportunities, especially in areas heavily bombarded, leaving many children more familiar with war and violence than anything else.

In the south of Jordan, specifically in Aqaba Governorate, We Love Reading ambassador Abeer Al-Nawaisa organized a read-aloud session for 400 students, both girls and boys. This session was part of a series of initiatives aimed at fostering a culture of reading in schools and the wider community. Abeer is a teacher in Aqaba with extensive experience in both education and community work, and she received an award from Queen Rania for Excellence in Education. For this session, Abeer read The Chef of Words, a book developed by We Love Reading, which resonated deeply with the students as it addressed a sensitive issue many of them face: bullying.

According to Abeer, the story’s impact was evident from the very beginning. The students were highly focused and engaged, following the events eagerly and anticipating the ending with curiosity and excitement. In terms of books, We Love Reading celebrates the achievement of Palestinian-Jordanian scientist Omar Yaghi, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Queen of Balloons, developed by the We Love Reading program and written by Lina Qutaishat with illustrations by Ali Al-Zini, was inspired by the character Uncle Omar, based on the renowned scientist Omar Yaghi.

The story highlights his inspiring innovations and emphasizes the importance of our scientists and their contributions to building better communities. The book also addresses climate change and water issues through an engaging storyline that captivates children, and it is available in English as well.

WLR took part in the Amman International Book Fair in september 2025. WLR organized activities as part of the program’s vision to instill a love of reading in children and make it a daily habit they share with their families.

On the occasion of National Reading Day, the We Love Reading program organized a series of special reading sessions at the Amman International Book Fair, welcoming a group of school students into an atmosphere full of fun and interaction.

Within our Children’s Book Development Department, a total of “1367” books were distributed over the past four months, with each ambassador receiving a book package to start their own library. Each package includes 23 books designed to be engaging, creative, and inspiring for children.

These books are developed based on carefully set criteria and methodology, considering themes relevant to children's cultural backgrounds, language, and age appropriateness. They cover important topics including environmental awareness, empathy, gender equality, non-violence, disability inclusion, refugee issues, and climate change.

We are honored to have your support. Thank you for making this work possible, and we look forward to sharing more of the difference your generosity 

Links:

• https://www.1masmaas.org/
• https://we-love-reading-program-the-online-training.teachable.co
• https://welovereading.org/