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Many children in Asia do not have
access to engaging, colorful storybooks
that inspire a lifelong love of reading. Often, school textbooks are the
only reading material available as children’s books are too expensive for the
average family, especially in rural areas. Realizing this great need, Books for
Asia is launching Let’s Read!, a
project that uses low-cost technology to enable underprivileged children to
attain the most essential of childhood experiences – the magic of becoming lost
in a story.
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The Cambodia Pilot Project
Let's Read! will pilot in 5 schools and 2 mobile libraries serving low-income communities in Cambodia. Each site will be equipped with
Android tablets on which a digital library app developed by our technology partner, Library For All, will provide access to picture books in Khmer (the local language) and
English. After the pilot phase, we will scale the project in Cambodia and adapt Let’s Read! for roll out to other
countries in Asia.
As children learn first and best
in their mother tongue, we are curating a starter collection of 50
Khmer-language books comprised of some of the best children's books published in Cambodia. Few children's e-books exist so we are collaborating with Cambodian publishers to license and digitize their material. By participating in this project, the publishers will gain valuable
experience working with e-books, receive digitized copies of their books, and
have access to usage data. Since
bilingual ability improves educational and employment opportunities, we are
additionally supplying 50 English-language books.
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Khmer storybooks by Sipar, which will be available through the library
How does the digital library work?
The digital library app created by Library For All was designed for developing country contexts where internet and electricity access is often limited. The app does not need internet access to be used, only to download additional books. Data and battery usage is minimal. And, the app interface is entirely in Khmer, allowing ease of use by Cambodian students and teachers.
The e-book collection will be used for weekly storytime sessions, reading festivals, and other related activities. The participating schools and mobile libraries will utilize the app's robust analytics to track student progress and provide individualized attention.
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Sipar Mobile Library Photo by: Kwanseok Lee
Isn't it too soon for a digital library?
Cambodia is a young population,
with 60% under the age of 30. As smartphones and tablets become increasingly
affordable, more and more people are accessing information from mobile devices.
Until recently it was very difficult to render the Khmer language digitally so very
few educational resources in Khmer are available online for children. To bridge
this gap, we’ve worked closely with our tech partner to render Khmer
storybooks. As a result, e-book
donations now hold the promise of being a more cost-effective, scalable model
than print books, which have high production and transportation costs.
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What have we done so far?
The Asia Foundation's Books for Asia staff on the
ground have formed partnerships with two phenomenal Cambodian education
organizations, Kampuchean
Action for Primary Education (KAPE) and Sipar, who have the experience and know-how to
successfully implement the digital library. They will work with their
affiliated schools and libraries to develop fun reading programs and activities
to bring the books alive. We’ve entered into licensing agreements with
Khmer-language publishers already producing beautiful stories. And
we’ve partnered with the Cambodian chapter of International Board on
Books for Young People (IBBY) to act as our a local content advisory board to ensure
that the library’s collection responds to students’ needs.
How will your money be used?
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We have the right local partners and
the technology ready to go, but need your help to get Let’s Read! off the ground! The net proceeds from this campaign
will enable Books for Asia to launch a successful pilot project in Cambodia and
allow us to apply the knowledge gained to other Asian countries. In Cambodia,
the pilot project will include the purchase of tablets, content licensing fees,
and teacher training, baseline testing, monitoring and evaluation, app refinement and support benefiting 5 schools, 2 mobile libraries.
Perks
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Why support us?
Books for Asia's book donations to Cambodian schools and universities - more than 900,000 books since the program's inception in 1995 - have dramatically increased access to much need education resources. Our resident local staff have deep experience in local education and development issues, as well as close relationships with extraordinary local organizations.
Books for Asia team
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We at Books for Asia believe that every child should have
access to books that stimulate their imagination and open their minds to new possibilities.
Although we come from different backgrounds and parts of the world — Fiji, Nepal, the Philippines, and the U.S. — all of us share a common love for books, children and education. Based out
of our San Francisco Bay Area warehouse, we work together with our staff and partners
throughout Asia to deliver needed books to schools and libraries in 21
countries.
Our Phenomenal Partners
Our Early Supporters
FAQs
What is Books for Asia?
Books for Asia is the leading provider of donation
information resources in the region. Each year, the program reaches thousands
of institutions in 21 Asian countries, connecting students, education, and
local and national leaders with the knowledge they need to improve lives and
expand opportunities. Books for Asia, founded in 1954, is a program of the nonprofit international development organization The Asia Foundation. Click here to learn more about Books for Asia.
Is my donation amount publicly displayed?
Yes, but you can choose to make it anonymous during checkout.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Generally, yes! We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so your contributions are tax-deductible minus the fair market value of the perk that you receive. If you'd like to receive the full value of your contribution as tax-deductible, you may choose not to receive a perk. You should contact your tax advisor for a detailed explanation of tax deductions.
Can I increase my pledge once it's made?
YES! Once you donate to the campaign, you may want to change your
incentive reward to a different one, or increase you donation amount. To do so,
come back to this page and sign in. The pink "Contribute Now" button
has been replaced with a "Manage Your Donation" button. Click it and
you can enter a new amount, or choose a new incentive.
Can I upgrade my perk?
Yes, you can! Please read the how-to here .
What if I don't want a perk, I just want to contribute?
No problem! Click on the "Contribute now" button, add the
additional amount and select 'no perk'.
When will I receive my perk?
Once the campaign ends, we will immediately start to ship out the perks.
I'm not in the US. Can I still donate to the project?
Yes, you can donate from anywhere in the world! However, we are sorry but our perks are unavailable for international shipping.
How do I contact you?
You can reach out to the team at booksforasia.info@asiafoundation.org.
Feel free to email with any questions, comments, and feedback that you may
have.
** A note for all funders outside the US - your donation will be
received and processed in US dollars, so your credit card will show a different
amount than the number you plugged in at Indiegogo. i.e. $500US=$511CAN or
etc.**
Many children in Asia do not have
access to engaging, colorful storybooks
that inspire a lifelong love of reading. Often, school textbooks are the
only reading material available as children’s books are too expensive for the
average family, especially in rural areas. Realizing this great need, Books for
Asia is launching Let’s Read!
