Reading is Basic: Literacy to reduce Dropouts

Dear Friends of Reading Is Basic,

Thank you for standing with the children, teachers and families of Accra and Ga South. This quarter, Reading Is Basic (RIB) took an important step toward making its school libraries last: we began working with the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) toward a formal partnership.

Your impact so far

- 100 public schools in the RIB network

- 35,000+ learners reached

- 34,900+ books placed on school shelves

- 200+ student library prefects trained

Working alongside the Ghana Library Authority

On 23 September 2026, SCEF's Executive Director, Paul Semeh, and I met the Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority, Alhassan Ziblim, at GhLA's offices in Accra. GhLA is the government body responsible for public libraries across Ghana. Its expertise and oversight can help our 100 school libraries meet national library standards, and its support can ease the arrival and clearing of donated books coming into the country.

GhLA is now reviewing our partnership proposal, and we are drafting a Memorandum of Understanding together. We hope it will cover:

- National library standards for RIB school libraries

- Book supply and the handling of donated consignments

- Joint training for teachers and student library prefects

- Access to GhLA facilities and Youth Engagement Centres

- Library membership for our students

- Mobile library outreach and joint reading events

GhLA is also holding a consignment of donated books for our Ga South partner schools, and we are working with them to have those books released and placed on school shelves.

Why this matters

School libraries in under-resourced communities often struggle once initial support ends. When teachers, student library prefects and Ghana's national library authority share responsibility for them, the books you helped provide keep being read for years to come.

What's next

In the coming months we will finalise the MOU with GhLA, work to clear the Ga South book consignment, and keep supporting teachers and student library prefects ahead of our end-of-year assessment in May 2027.

How you can help

A gift today, or a small monthly gift, helps keep RIB libraries stocked and teachers supported. Look out for our GivingTuesday update on 1 December.

Thank you for believing that every child deserves the chance to read.

With gratitude,

Godfred Edem Ahlijah

Project Coordinator / Education Lead

Street Children Empowerment Foundation (SCEF)

Empowering Lives, Transforming Futures.