Travelers' Philanthropy Handbook - Center for Responsible Travel

language to villagers from pre-school to adult. This became the concept behind the READCenters.In 1991, the first Rural Education and Development (READ) Center was opened in Junbesi, inthe Solu Kumbu area of Nepal. Today, 20 years later, that Center is still in operation. READhas also become its own 501c3, with a separate office in the Presidio in San Francisco, its ownboard, and staff. Each READ Center has a library with:ooooooooA reading room with 3000-5000 books inthe local language, newspapers andmagazines.A children’s room with toys, games andbooks for the young, as well as appropriatesmall tables and chairs.A women’s room.An audiovisual room.A computer room.A meeting room for local people.Because too many projects started by wellintentioneddonors fail for lack of funds,Myths decided to seed a local business inthe community, and the profits from theKids watching computers, Bhutan.Credit: Toni Neubauerbusiness would fully sustain and support the libraries. Among the local businessesestablished to support the READ Centers are ambulance service, a furniture factory,storefront rentals, sewing, catering service, and fish ponds.Lastly, in order to make the READ Center the hub of village activity, the library waslinked to other organizations providing literacy training, micro-credit, health andHIV/AIDS care, women’s empowerment, agricultural training, and other services.In 2006, READ Nepal won the Bill and MelindaGates Foundation’s $1,000,000 Access toLearning Award. Then, a year later, it receiveda 4-year, $3,000,000 replication grant from thefoundation to expand into other countries. As ofthis writing, READ has built more than 50 READCenters across Nepal and has opened offices inBhutan and India.Along the way, READ has collaborated withmany organizations, including UNESCO, JAICA,NORAD, The Annapurna ConservationCompany, The Asian Development Bank, theGerman Embassy, Bhutan’s Royal EducationCouncil and others.READ Global Library, Nepal. Credit: Toni Neubauer• How Do You Select Projects?READ does not solicit projects. Rather, villages submit proposals to the READ country office.READ country staff review the proposals, and, with the support of the advisory board and READGlobal office, select the next READ Center sites. Generally speaking, READ looks for a village38