By Prof. Rana Dajani | WLR Founder
Dear Valued Donors,
We know that narrative has the power to transport us to another world, and reading aloud to children is more than a cozy ritual; it is a transformative practice that significantly impacts a child’s development.
Reading aloud not only fosters a love for books but also plays a crucial role in cognitive, emotional, and academic development. To uphold our commitment, we are delighted to share the incredible progress we have achieved.
Over the last four months, the "1 Million Asmaas" initiative has expanded further, reaching Turkey through the signing of an MOU with the "Qisetna" institution. This partnership organized an event that brought together community members to attend “The Neighborhood Storyteller” documentary. After this inspiring story was showcased, more participants joined the WLR program and completed the online training. Qisetna’s work includes storytelling workshops for young people in Syria and Turkey, as well as storytelling workshops in the UK to share culture and build community.
Additionally, the We Love Reading Online Training on "How to Read Aloud for Children" has reached a significant milestone. A total of 120 new ambassadors worldwide have completed the training in multiple languages, joining the ever-growing network of over a thousand WLR ambassadors across the globe.
With the aim of transferring knowledge, We Love Reading was invited by the National Council for Family Affairs to participate in an event held in Aqaba Governorate, Jordan. As part of the "Technology and Children" session, We Love Reading showcased its alignment with the digital world through its online training available in multiple languages and the development of interactive platforms that connect WLR ambassadors globally.
At the children's book level, we are proud to announce that the children's book Queen of Balloons has been nominated for the Sheikh Zayed Book Award in the Children's Literature category. This nomination was selected from 4,000 submissions spanning seven countries worldwide. The book resonated widely among the program’s ambassadors and has received significant attention as it addresses crucial and modern topics related to climate change and water issues, shedding light on important innovations.
Moreover, as empowering women remains one of WLR’s core values, We Love Reading held a research session for a group of Jordanian and Syrian women on the methodology of fuzzy cognitive mapping. The session explored concepts of "ownership" and "life satisfaction" by constructing cognitive maps and identifying relationships between different variables. Participants reflected on how We Love Reading has positively impacted their sense of ownership and increased their life satisfaction, particularly in light of local changes and a deeper understanding of their surroundings. It is worth noting that WLR’s Research and Studies Department has applied the fuzzy cognitive mapping methodology in numerous studies published in leading scientific journals.
As reading helps children express their emotions in a positive way, WLR Ambassador Hiba Abed in Gaza discovered this benefit firsthand and conducted a read-aloud session in a tent. She describes these sessions as a source of "spiritual nourishment" for children, helping them cope with the challenges of war and reinforcing core values despite their difficult circumstances. Hiba was deeply influenced by the philosophy of We Love Reading, emphasizing its role in instilling values, managing emotional expression, and shaping children's behavior. She shares, "Children in Gaza are born into a reality where even basic needs are scarce, but we cannot abandon our beliefs. The meanings of things have changed for them; rain, once a symbol of joy, has become a source of fear due to flooding. This is just one example of how their perceptions have shifted."
We continue our journey to bring the joy of reading to every neighborhood worldwide, now reaching 73 countries. In Saudi Arabia, this expansion has been made possible through a collaboration with Wamadat Children's Center. This partnership was driven by our dedicated ambassadors, Sanaa Samarah and Suzan Setterallah, who completed WLR training and received books to support their efforts.
Since then, they have introduced read-aloud sessions at the center, emphasizing that "the magic of reading aloud creates memories, builds skills, and opens up a world of possibilities." Their journey as WLR ambassadors exemplifies a strong partnership founded on a shared passion for reading to children.
A total of 280 books were distributed over the past four months, with each ambassador receiving a book package to start their own library. Each package includes 10 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 a range of important topics, including environmental awareness, empathy, gender equality, non-violence, disability inclusion, refugee issues, and climate change.
Beyond the joy it brings, reading sets a foundation for lifelong success. 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 more of the journey your generosity makes possible!
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