Give a Book

Executive Summary

The Give a Book campaign exists to do one simple thing: put a reading book into the hands of every learner in Teach For Uganda’s partner schools.

In Uganda, four in five children cannot yet read and understand a simple story by the age of 10 (World Bank, 2024). The children in our classrooms are eager to learn and ready to read. But for many, one of the biggest barriers is also one of the simplest: they do not have a book of their own to open, practise with, and return to again and again.

Thanks to donors who gave through GlobalGiving, 800 books have now reached children across two of Teach For Uganda’s 49 partner schools in rural Uganda, supported by more than US$2,000 from over 10 individual donors.

Behind every book is a child with another opportunity to practise reading. Behind every donation is a donor helping make that opportunity possible.

This report shares what your support has made possible, what we have learned, and where we are heading next.

Key Successes and Highlights: 800 books are now in the hands of learners

Your support has translated directly into reading materials for children.

At an average cost of approximately UGX 15,000 (about US$4) per book, donations have helped us provide 800 books across two schools and districts.

For children who previously had to share a limited number of books or had no age-appropriate reading materials at all, having a book they can repeatedly read and practise with can make a meaningful difference.

Your support builds on progress already happening in classrooms

Books do not work in isolation. They extend the learning that teachers and Teach For Uganda Fellows build every day.

In 2024, Teach For Uganda reported an average 10% improvement in literacy and 20% improvement in numeracy across 182 partner schools, through approaches that meet learners at their level and use play-based learning to make lessons engaging and accessible (Teach For Uganda, 2024).

The next challenge is helping children turn classroom learning into regular reading practice.

A book gives them something tangible to take that practice further, to read at school, revisit a story, practise a new word, and gradually build confidence as a reader.

One Fellow’s commitment continued long after her Fellowship ended

One of the clearest examples of what these books mean can be found at Kagadi Model Primary School, where more than 800 books were received following the efforts of Teach For Uganda alumna Nanfuka Vidah.

During her Fellowship, Vidah saw that learners were eager to read but had too few books to support that curiosity. Before her placement ended, she learned about a book donation programme run by Enjuba Foundation and applied on behalf of the school.

Her application was successful.

But the story did not end when her Fellowship did.

Vidah returned to the school to support the book handover even though she no longer had a Fellowship requirement to fulfil.

“My Fellowship may have ended, but my responsibility to these learners did not. I wanted them to know that someone believed they deserved more, because they do.”

For Headteacher Mr Abigaba Emmanuel, the books represented more than an addition to the school library.

“We have tried to build a reading culture among our learners for years, but without enough materials, it has always been difficult.”

Vidah’s story captures what this campaign is ultimately about. A book is a physical resource, but it can also be a sign to a child that their learning matters and that someone believes in their potential.

Challenges Encountered

Reaching more learners with the right books also comes with real challenges.

One is finding enough age-appropriate reading materials, particularly for learners in Primary 1 to Primary 3, when foundational reading skills are being developed. Materials also need to reflect the languages and contexts children know so that reading is accessible, engaging, and meaningful.

There is also the practical challenge of getting resources to rural, last-mile schools, where distance and seasonal conditions can make delivery more difficult.

These challenges have reinforced an important lesson: giving children books is not simply about the number of books purchased. The right book, reaching the right learner, at the right stage of their reading journey, matters.

Adjustments and What We Are Learning

As the campaign develops, we are refining our approach around where books can make the greatest difference.

We are prioritising:

• Early-grade learners, particularly Primary 1–3, where foundational reading skills are being built.

• Age-appropriate and locally relevant titles that children can understand, enjoy, and relate to.

• Local-language reading materials, where appropriate, to support early reading development.

• Partnerships that strengthen access to quality children's books, including Teach For Uganda’s early-grade literacy work with Enjuba Foundation.

• School-level delivery through people who already know the learners and communities, helping ensure books reach children who need them.

The experience at Kagadi Model Primary School has also reminded us that impact can extend beyond the original intervention. A Fellow may complete a placement, but the relationships, commitment, and leadership developed during that experience can continue to benefit a school long afterwards.

Looking Ahead

Our long-term ambition is straightforward:

One reading book for every learner in Teach For Uganda’s partner schools.

The first 800 books are an important step. But with Teach For Uganda working across 49 partner schools, there is still a significant gap to close.

In the next phase, we aim to reach 6,000 additional learners across 47 schools, requiring approximately 50,000 USD.

Every additional contribution moves us closer to a classroom where children do not have to wait for a shared copy to become available before they can read.

And as more books reach schools, we will continue to share the stories behind the numbers, the learners opening their first books, teachers building reading cultures, and Fellows and alumni like Vidah continuing to find ways to serve their communities.

Thank You

To everyone who gave through GlobalGiving: thank you.

A book may be small enough to hold in two hands, but for a child learning to read, it can open a much bigger world.

Because of your generosity, a child in a rural Ugandan classroom now has a book they can open, read, practise with, and return to again.

800 books have reached learners. The next chapter is up to all of us.

Photo Highlights

1. Learners at Kagadi Model Primary School with their new books
More than 800 books were received by Kagadi Model Primary School, giving learners new opportunities to practise reading.

2.  Learners exploring their new reading materials

Each book gives a learner another opportunity to practise a new word, discover a new idea, and build confidence as a reader.

Sources

World Bank (2024).
Teach For Uganda (2024) Impact Report.
Enjuba Foundation; book donation programme and school partnership