We Love Reading

Dear Valued Donors,

As we approach another turning point in our mission to instill a love of reading, we are delighted to announce the incredible progress we've made possible through your support.

Over the last four months, we have launched the “1 Million Asmaas” initiative in partnership with The Home Storyteller organization. This partnership provides communities, individuals, and organizations with an exclusive opportunity to hold a free screening of the multi-award-winning documentary “The Neighborhood Storyteller” and implement We Love Reading training. Since launching, we have received many applications, and applicants have signed MOUs to screen the film and embark on the WLR journey. As WLR is a collective movement, we aim through this initiative to create 1 million changemakers—1 million readers.

Additionally, the new version of the We Love Reading Online Training on “How to Read Aloud for Children”, achieved a significant milestone, with 359 new ambassadors worldwide received the training in multiple languages, joining over a thousand of WLR ambassadors around the world.

At the local level, we trained over 45 women and men in Jerash governorate, where the community faces educational challenges due to its location in a refugee camp area with limited services. This was achieved through collaboration with the Hopes Library in Jerash by training library members and providing WLR children’s books for the library and each ambassador, which positively impacting the children's learning.

Moreover, in celebration of the Jordan National Reading Day and with WLR’s motto of reaching every child in every neighborhood, the WLR program organized events across all Jordanian governorates. The events included reading aloud sessions for children, and WLR ambassadors distributed children’s books, making all of Jordan read on this day. Additionally, our Ambassador, Raja Kanaan, held multiple reading sessions and distributed WLR children’s books to children from Gaza receiving treatment at the King Hussein Cancer Center in Amman. This activity aimed to treat reading as a universal need, filling children’s time with purpose and enriching their lives as they facing these difficult days.

Around the world, in Uganda, WLR collaborated with the Association of Refugee Women in Uganda (ARWU) to empower refugee women and girls through reading. ARWU hosted three screenings of “The Neighborhood Storyteller.” Following the screenings, ARWU conducted two training sessions on WLR’s online training, with more than 200 participants. This initiative not only supports immediate needs but also fosters a supportive environment for the long-term growth and integration of refugees through reading.

Also in Germany, the founders of Dar Al-Hikmah Schools in Berlin visited the WLR headquarters in Amman with the aim of implementing WLR reading methodologies in migrant and refugee neighborhoods. They received WLR children’s books for their libraries, attended in-person WLR training, and have started reading sessions with high-quality children’s books that introduce children to Arab culture. This visit supports efforts to promote reading in educational contexts and expand students’ horizons worldwide.

Our global reach continues, extending to Syria, where WLR Ambassador Raghad Jouhar has a unique mission: conducting read-aloud sessions that teach children about their intangible Syrian heritage, passing it on to younger generations. She observed that the WLR approach in reading for pleasure captured children’s attention, and they eagerly awaited her sessions. The milestone of WLR in Syria does not stop here; the Kids of Paradise organization, which supports children affected by war and oppression, has started implementing WLR training as they have witnessed its impact on the children. This effect of reading as a focal point in changing children’s lives has been proven by scientific research conducted by our Department of Research and Studies.

A total of 977 books were distributed in the past four months, and each ambassador received a book package to start their own library. Each package contains 10 books that are fun, creative, and unleash children’s imaginations. The books are developed according to set criteria and methodology, considering factors such as theme, relevance to children’s culture and background, language, and age-appropriateness. They cover a variety of themes, including environmental awareness, empathy, gender equality, non-violence, disability awareness, refugee issues, and climate change.

Together, we address critical community needs, using reading in all its forms to create accessible, tailored programs. Every page read provides an opportunity to nurture great minds!

We are honored to have your support. Thank you for making this work possible, and we look forward to sharing where your generosity takes us next!

Links:

• 1 Million ASMAAS
• WLR Training English
• WLR Research& Impact Report

Dear Valued Donors,

As we approach another turning point in our mission to instill a love of reading, we are delighted to announce the incredible progress we've made possible by your steadfast support.

Over the last four months, we have launched a new version of the English and Arabic We Love Reading Ambassadors online training platform on How to Read Aloud for Children, with video subtitles available in 10 languages: Spanish, French, Turkish, Korean, Urdu, Hindi, Chinese, Vietnamese and Dutch.

Since we launched, we have trained 52 new trainees, and new ambassadors have joined our network. We expanded WLR in 2024 to new countries: Cambodia, Tanzania, Venezuela bringing our presence to 71 countries.

Additionally, a collection of WLR children’s books was donated to our ambassador Najeh Hasan, who recently received the training and started establishing a library. The library was established in the Makani Learning Center to create a space for reading for pleasure rather than just reading for learning. Najeh completed the online training and he said that he sent it to everyone he knew to join WLR, especially after witnessing the enjoyment that reading sessions create.

Moreover, our books reached Germany through our ambassador Shaima Asfour. While visiting Jordan, she decided to start something different this year by getting We Love Reading training. She took WLR children’s books to Germany to the minority community living in Germany to start her reading sessions every Saturday in a mosque near her home. She described that the pleasure it’s not only for children in the reading session, but she also felt it each time she saw the glow in the children’s eyes.

The milestone of WLR does not stop here. Participants from various categories, including mothers, library visitors, and employees, joined the online training to implement it in their neighborhoods to achieve their goal of raising a generation of readers. This has been done in collaboration with the Hopes Library in Gaza Camp at Jerash governorate, and the trainees received a package from the WLR children’s books.

Around the world, WLR flourished in Kenya through the Siaya Community Library (SCL) which has made remarkable progress in Kenya after implementing the We Love Reading (WLR) program in Africa, heralding a new era of learning and enlightenment across the region.

SCL has trained local teachers and volunteers to hold read-aloud sessions in schools and public spaces, making reading as playful as possible for learners both at school and at home.

Since its implementation by the Siaya Community Library, the We Love Reading program has garnered widespread acclaim for its innovative approach to promoting literacy. The program has successfully engaged families and communities in the pursuit of reading and learning.

Through our WLR online training, many trainees have joined from around the world, to expand WLR to more countries. Many libraries have been established, create empowerment in each ambassador in order to nurture changemakers, and helped undeveloped countries not only overcoming illiteracy also instill the love of reading.

A total of 90 books were distributed in the past 4 months, each woman received a book package to start her own library, the package contains 10 books that are fun, creative, and unleash the children’s imaginations. Books are developed according to set criteria and methodology, considering factors such as theme, relevancy to the children’s culture and background, language, and age-appropriateness. The books cover a variety of themes, including environmental awareness, empathy, gender, non-violence, disabilities, refugees, and climate change.

Together, we are not only imagining a better world, we are creating it. We’re honored you chose ours to support. Thank you for making this work possible, and can’t wait to share where your generosity takes us next!

Links:

• We Love Reading Online Training
• Take a Look at Our Books Catalogue.
• Beyond the Pages: Explore Our Children's Books.