Active Minds Reading Club empowers girls in the Apirede community
The Active Minds Reading Club has launched a literacy programme to empower children through reading and teach them essential life skills which will enable them to navigate life with the needed support and empowerment.
“It is our desire to see a literate society where children, especially girls can read, write and grasp concepts. We have therefore partnered with Believe in What You Dream to host over 200 girls, our dream girls, to a day of mentoring, reading and creative activities. It is our belief that this collaboration and many other initiatives will intercede in our rural communities as a direct social intervention against child illiteracy", the founder of Active Minds Reading Club, Mrs Rita Agyen Takyi said.
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She made this when the club hosted girls in the Apirede community on Friday, December 22, 2022.
She indicated that the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the existing literacy challenges and exposed the inequalities of the educational system.
“It is sad that only one out of three ten-year-olds in the world can read simple sentences. This is according to UNICEF and we see this every day when we interact with kids in underserved communities in Ghana,” she said.
Mrs. Agyen Takyi said that hosting the girls was to interact with them, understand their learning challenges and empower them through mentoring activities as well as creative storytelling sessions.
“Most children in deprived communities are exposed to social vices due to lack of healthy alternative extracurricular activities".
The Executive Director of Believe in What You Dream, Shantelle Brumfield mentioned that her organization was focused on impacting the lives of 100,000 girls by 2025, and in order to do that with excellence, they align with organizations that have similar missions and that’s why she was glad to be collaborating with Active Minds Reading Club to host this program.
Mr. Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, the founder of Books and Boots, said that “Sports has been one of the most important socio-cultural learning experiences for boys and men for many years. It is the belief of Books and Boots that those same benefits should be afforded our girls. It is important for all of us to know that, the statistics clearly show that High school girls who partake in sports are less likely to be involved in unintended pregnancies, more likely to get better grades in school and more likely to graduate than girls who do not get actively involved in sports. We are committed to supporting Active Minds Reading Club in empowering girls through education, sports and creative activities.”
About Active Minds Reading Club
Active Mind Reading Club is a Child literacy advocacy organisation which was founded 13 years ago.
Their mission is to create pathways for more significant equity and inclusion in literacy for children of diverse backgrounds and talents.
They aim to see each child in Ghana owning and reading a book.