Soroptimist International marks Literacy Day with book drive

Soroptimist International of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SISVG) is a local womens’ group making their mark in the lives of young Vincentians. September 8th marked International Literacy Day, as designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). This year marks the 50th anniversary of this celebratory date, under the theme “Reading the Past, Writing the Future”.{{more}}

Soroptimist International continues their annual book donation to support our children and help develop libraries throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines. The recipients of this year’s SISVG book drive were the Belmont and Stubbs Primary Schools, receiving over 400 books and four bookshelves. The president and communications officer of the SISVG Shannon Samuel has expressed the club’s belief in literacy for all. “It is our goal to fill as many primary school libraries with as many books as we can, enabling each child the equal opportunity to read and to learn, building a solid foundation for our population to advance with the skills needed to thrive as a nation. Targeting our primary education improves the quality of student entering secondary school and ensuring that our children are prepared for the challenges ahead, and in so doing, we make our footprint on the 4th Sustainable Development Goal of Quality Education. Let us all do our part in making a better St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

As captured from UNESCO – Literacy is a fundamental human right and the foundation for lifelong learning. It is fully essential to social and human development in its ability to transform lives. It is an instrument of empowerment to improve one’s health, one’s income, and one’s relationship with the world. A literate community is a dynamic community, one that exchanges ideas and engages in debate. Illiteracy, however, is an obstacle to a better quality of life, and can even breed exclusion and violence.