International Literacy Day is celebrated annually on September 8 to recognize the importance of literacy as part of the fundamental right to education. The day also is an opportunity to remind the world that literacy is the foundation for lifelong learning, empowerment, health and wellbeing, and gender equality.
CODE is Canada’s leading international development agency dedicated to education and literacy. At CODE, we believe in the transformative power of the written word. Since our founding in 1959, our programming has expanded from shipping books overseas. We are grateful to the countless foundations, community groups and donors who have made it all possible.
In collaboration with our in-country partners, our programs emphasize teacher training and the creation of high-quality, locally authored children’s books, because literacy only blossoms when children can see themselves reflected in what they read.
Our impact is deep and measurable. Between 2019 and 2025, CODE empowered 1.6 million students, distributed 1.6 million culturally relevant books, and trained 25,000 educators.
We see this work realized in the Grade 1 classroom of Children’s Hope Elementary School, Liberia, where the classroom is filled with culturally appropriate and locally designed wall posters with letters of the alphabet and blended sounds. Bookshelves line the class filled with anthologies that have been developed by Liberian authors and published by Liberian publishers. The teacher – Mrs. Blaki – moves around the classroom providing support to groups of children working on literacy activities. A young girl, Aminata, is huddled together over a storybook and sounding out words.
As we mark International Literacy Day, we reflect on our vision: a world where every young person, like Aminata, can pursue literacy, through quality teaching and learning.
At this time, 9 out 10 children in Sub-Saharan Africa are suffering from what the World Bank terms “learning poverty,” which is defined by the inability to read and understand a simple text by age 10. And so, we know the work at CODE must continue and with partners such yourselves, we can work towards establishing literacy programs; develop local books; and work with teachers.
Together, we can write a brighter future—one child, one book, one teacher at a time.
-Sara McGinty, Director of International Programs and Partnership
Image: Aleks M/Unsplash