By Dorphina Ansah / Dorcas Appiah
Accra, June 8, GNA – Worldreader, in partnership with Achievers Ghana, has launched the Zongo Reads project to encourage reading among school children.
The project seeks to increase the learning outcomes of 3-12 years old children by building the habit and practice in reading of families and caregivers via community-led behavioral change engagement opportunities.
Mr Leslie Tetteh, the West Africa Regional Director of Worldreader, speaking at the launch advised parents to encourage their children to read using electronic devices to promote digital literacy.
He said the act would help the children to make good of their electronic devices and instill the habit of reading culture in them.
Worldreader has supported more than 21 million readers in over 100 countries like San Francisco, California, Spain, India, Kenya, Ghana and many more.
Mr Tetteh said parents and caregivers played a critical role in promoting a love for reading among children.
He said the role did not only help to improve literacy skills but also nurtured a lifelong love for learning and knowledge and provided a bonding experience for the children and their caregivers.
He said when a child completed more unique books in a year, they improved their vocabulary and reading comprehension, laying down the foundation of all learning.
“That is why our projects are designed to increase the volume and frequency of reading in a child’s life,” he added.
Madam Kezia Agbenyega, the West Africa Content Acquisitions and programmes Manager, said it was very necessary to get parents and caregivers involved in the reading of children.
“When a child sees a parent or caregiver, most of the time reading that child would be encouraged to read or if the parents or caregiver reads with children,” she said.
She said, “Most of the time the child is able to pick up these reading habits and build upon them and become lifelong readers.”
Madam Agbenyega said one way by which parents could do this was to spend as little as five minutes to read with their kids and to make these reading fun activities.
Mr Daniel Ofosu Asamoah, a Member of the Coordinating Committee, Accra World Book Capital 2023, told the Ghana News Agency that just as Accra World Book Capital, Worldreader aimed at using reading and books to connect minds for social transformation.
He said Worldreader sought to achieve six different project this year, including reading promotion; offering schools and community library with books and tools that Would help children in the Zongo communities.
GNA