The founder of Pearple Read, a group promoting the culture of reading and writing in children, Ms. Pearl Afua Acheampong has been named as one of the 2,897 World Literacy Ambassadors selected by the World Literacy Foundation to participate in the 2020 cohort.
Ms. Acheampong has a degree in communication studies from the Ghana Institute of Journalism (G.I.J) and has always been passionate about social change and as such volunteered with a number of organisations.
In sharing what reading means to her and why she’s passionate about promoting it especially in children through Pearple Read, Ms. Acheampong shared this “ Reading means a great deal to me. My mother inculcated the habit by getting me to give summaries of books she got for me. It was a great time to share ideas with her and disagree sometimes on the different perspectives of a book. I have never been the loudest person in the room, reading has always been an escape. The ability to travel to other places through a book, learn about someone’s culture , and how people assimilate things in different ways is what keeps drawing me back to books. “
Also speaking on her new ambassadorial role and what her expectations are, Ms. Acheampong expressed that she is always giddy when someone asks her anything with regards to books so this opportunity is something she has always aspired for.
“I am also really giddy when people ask me about stuff with regards to books , so yes a role and platform like this is something l have always aspired for. I genuinely hope l can share with others the knowledge and skill l will receive so we can change the staggering illiteracy rate in our society.”
She further expressed that this role will provide her with a broader platform to connect with other young people in different countries with similar projects as Pearple Read.
“Collectively we can collaborate, share and learn from each other and l believe this would help Pearple Read impact more and more children and communities.”
The World Literacy Foundation is a global not-for-profit that works to lift young people out of poverty through literacy. The organisation’s mission is to strive to ensure that every young individual regardless of geographic location has the opportunity to acquire literacy skills to reach their full potential, succeed at school and beyond.
Related Story:
Promoting the culture of reading and writing in Children – The Pearple Read Journey
