Our efforts to improve literacy in the state of Colima

Love to read? So do these kids!

If you are passionate about spreading the joy of reading, volunteer on a literacy work week with us.

• Our brochure
  ...gives you the overall picture of the amazing week you’ll have
• Our volunteer details page
  ...gives an in-depth look at everything involved

It is an incredibly enjoyable experience for both the volunteers and the kids.

How it all began

Ten years ago, Boise Sunrise Rotarian Bev Pressman, a child literacy expert, participated on a winter work week. One of the activities involved taking books to read to children in Colima area orphanages and rural schools. At the end of the activity, volunteers gathered up the books and returned to our headquarters. Observing that these facilities didn’t have fun children’s books on hand, Bev asked why we didn’t leave the books for the children to continue to enjoy? Good question.

With that observation and question, Project Amigo added a new focus:   collaborating and cooperating with Rotary Clubs from Rotary District 4150 and Rotary Districts and Clubs in the  US, Canada and Australia to acquire children’s books. In addition to private donations of books for our literacy effort, Rotary Foundation Matching Grants help with the purchase mini-libraries of fun children’s books and books that the children can keep for their very own. Rotarian and non-Rotarian volunteers work with the Colima area Rotary Clubs to deliver the books and mini-libraries to poor rural schools in Colima and southern Jalisco.

Thanks to this program, thousands of children each year experience the fun and joy of reading; and teachers report noticeable changes in children’s attitudes toward learning, in their creativity, and in their vocabularies.