Entries Tagged 'Literacy' ↓

by Rhona Mahony. Today, September 8, is International Literacy Day. Cliff Schmidt would like to make every day literacy day for the one billion poorest people in the world who not only scrape by on less than $2 a day but who also, for the most part, do not know how to read. Not knowing how to read keeps poor people poor. His team of engineers has developed a handheld digital audio player and recorder. It will cost the user $5. So far, however, it costs Schmidt’s non-profit organization, Literacy Bridge, about $160 to make one. He needs to raise money to send 100 Talking Books to the Upper West Region of Ghana, to the villagers who will test them in November. Their experience and comments will help Schmidt refine the device. Big foundations are willing to consider supporting Literacy Bridge only after the field test in Ghana. After getting financing, Schmidt will be able to begin large-scale manufacturing, bring down his costs per unit, and sell millions of Talking Books in Africa, India, and beyond. A small donation to Literacy Bridge now might make a bigger difference than a donation to an established project.
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