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A local non-governmental organisation, GEDAid Foundation in partnership with Rotary Club of Accra has launched a literacy project for 15 basic schools within the La Dadekotopon Municipality of Accra.

The event which took place at the Labadi Beach Hotel under the theme: “Making books accessible to all children” was used to mark World Book Day which falls on 23rd April every year.

The project which aims at helping lower primary pupils to acquire basic reading and writing skills to prepare them for life, saw 6,000 reading books distributed to the 15 basic schools.

The Special Guest for the occasion was Mrs. Samira Bawumia, wife of the Vice-President. In her address, the Second Lady stated that, there is a high correlation between reading and academic success according to research; hence, there is the need to strengthen efforts to inculcate effective reading and writing into our children.

She stressed her desire to equip the next generation of leaders to become critical thinkers, by supporting reading and writing initiatives especially at the basic level of our education system.

Mr. Emmanuel Asafo-Adjei, Executive Director of GEDAid Foundation, disclosed that, he set-up the foundation based on his personal experience after completing primary six: where he could not read and write, until a Good Samaritan bought him several storybooks which significantly aided him to start reading within some few months.

“This shows the power in storybooks”, the Executive Director emphasized.

He said, considering the fact that only 2% of class two pupils in Ghana can read proficiently; and, 600 million children around the world are in school but cannot read, means that, illiteracy is not only a local challenge but a global canker.