The Joy of Reading Award is an international award intended to recognise initiatives or projects that encourage citizens to read. Systematic, an IT company with a focus on creating solutions for corporate as well as health and education organisations, developed the award to praise organisations making waves, through innovation, in the literacy field.
Access to information and the fight against illiteracy are very important, and the United Nations’ 2030 goals with regard to education therefore also form the basis for this award.
Illiteracy is a global problem that must be addressed. Systematic want to highlight the work of different projects that are helping to make a difference. This goes hand in hand with Systematic corporate values about contributing to society.
The award is established by Systematic in collaboration with Next Library® – a conference at which library professionals from around the world meet every two years. An international jury will assess all the applications received, selecting the nominees and the eventual winner.
The award will be presented for the very first time in 2017 at the Next Library Conference to be held in Denmark by Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, founder of The Reading and Writing Foundation.
FunDza responds:
FunDza applied for this award, and we are thrilled to bring you the good news that we are 1 of 6 nominees for this award! We eagerly await the winner announcement on 13th of June, at the Next Library Conference in Denmark.
We want to highlight the other nominees, for their efforts to promote literacy and innovative methods. The other nominees are;
20 community Libraries in Northern Burkina Faso
The establishment of 20 community libraries in which children and adults through books in their mother tongue, games, and other activities meet and are encouraged to read. The initiative also organises “reading summer camps” where young people, perhaps for the first time, are invited to camps that involve many interesting reading activities.
Doorstep Library, United Kingdom
A team of 10 home reading volunteers who make weekly visits to low income families. Together with their visits, the volunteers bring a rucksack full of books and read stories as well as discuss new books freely together with the children. The visits entail an increased interest and joy in reading among children and adults who are not able to prioritise reading themselves.
Mini-libraries – discovering and sharing the joy of reading, Canada
Mini libraries with 40-50 books that are lend to reading organisations across Canada. Hereby, the literature is accessible for even local groups, and together with the students, teachers can choose materials that fit the target group in the best way possible. Every group that chooses a mini library becomes a part of an eighth months course in which they learn to reflect and use the literature they have chosen.
Osu Children’s Library Fund, Ghana
Develops libraries targeting social vulnerable Ghanaian children. The fond is responsible for child-friendly libraries containing books that are addressed children in particular. The fond organises theatre experiences and trips for the children as well as handing out student grants.
VoorleesExpress (The Reading Express), the Netherlands
The project is targeted families with children from the age of two to eight years old who either are language-deficient or run a risk of developing a language deficiency. In a timeframe of 20 weeks, a volunteer reader from VoorlessExpress visits a family at home and introduce them to the reading aloud ritual – that includes both children and parents. Studies show that children who have participated in the programme becomes better readers and experience a bigger joy of reading.
We are delighted at the recognition of our work and to be included in this impressive list of global projects doing interesting and varied work to encourage reading for pleasure. Don’t forget to hold thumbs for us on 13 June!