By Megan Karges | Communications & Development Coordinator
Hello Global Giving and LitWorld Community!
I am so excited to update you on the spread of our Girls LitClub program around the world. Since our last report we have launched Girls LitClubs with new partners in Kampala, Uganda and Lusaka, Zambia. Although it’s only been a few short months our local LitClub leaders are already seeing a transformation in their communities.
In an email update to the LitWorld team our LitClub leader Susan wrote: "The children look forward to our read alouds and get excited each time their leader says 'it’s time for us to read a book!' It’s always good to see children enjoy themselves in the sessions and one of the girls said the one place she feels she belongs is the LitClub."
To support the tremendous growth of the LitWorld movement and provide ongoing virtual training to our worldwide LitClub leaders, we are building an online portal called the LitPower Platform. Our platform will network LitWorld's leaders with one another and support them with interactive online curriculum and professional development. We are investing in the growth of our local leaders who will expand and deepen our programs in the regions where they live. We will also be using the online platform to allow cross-country and cross-continental story-sharing between LitClub members themselves so that every girl can share her voice widely and learn from the stories of others.
As we develop the LitPower platform, we are also experimenting with the wonderful apps and online tools available worldwide. Last month we connected our on-the-ground leaders through the mobile app "WhatsApp" and this has quickly become an avenue for question-asking and knowledge-sharing.
Phoebe from Kisumu, Kenya sent pictures of the girls in her LitClubs hugging and singing, sharing that they were feeling a strong sense of belonging that day. Peachy from Manila, Philippines shared a photo of a founding LitClub member who has grown to become a junior LitClub mentor. This sparked a reply from Prisca and Maureen in Kibera, Kenya, where their own founding LitClub members have also become junior LitClub mentors. This tool is helping our on-the-ground leaders unite around their LitWorld work and have meaningful conversations about what literacy can mean for the children in their communities.
We are full of gratitude for your interest in LitWorld. Together we can make sure more girls around the world have access to strong mentors, quality reading and writing resources and a network of fellow LitClub friends to accompany them on their educational and emotional journeys.
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