Help us ship more books
We are a fully volunteer-run organization, meaning that every donation directly funds shipments of books to those who need them most.
- HQ: Netherlands
Impact
The Impact of Your Support
📚 Transforming Education
- Schools, orphanages, and libraries in 79 countries have already received over 1.6 million books, giving children and students the tools they need to learn and grow.
- Many schools in developing countries lack basic educational resources. Your contribution ensures that students have access to textbooks, storybooks, and reference materials, empowering them with knowledge.
🌍 Creating a Global Ripple Effect
When you donate to fund book shipments, you’re not just providing reading material—you’re unlocking potential, strengthening economies, and fostering equality.
Literacy is the foundation of opportunity, and by helping others, we help create a better world for everyone, including ourselves.
📖 Literacy and Equality: The First Step to a Fairer World
- Nearly 773 million people worldwide lack basic literacy skills, with women and girls disproportionately affected (UNESCO).
- Children who can read are more likely to stay in school, get better jobs, and break the cycle of poverty.
- Access to books promotes gender equality, giving girls the tools they need to secure a brighter future.
💡 Literacy Fuels Economies
- Every additional year of schooling increases a person’s income potential by up to 10% (World Bank).
- Countries with higher literacy rates experience faster economic growth and more stable job markets.
- A literate workforce drives innovation and development, creating long-term benefits for both individuals and the global economy.
🌍 A Better World Benefits Everyone
- Lack of access to education perpetuates poverty, inequality, and instability—but we have the power to change that.
- When people have access to education, they contribute to their communities, boosting local economies and fostering peace.
- As businesses, governments, and individuals work together to expand literacy, we create a world that is more fair, more innovative, and more sustainable for future generations.
Offsetting Emissions
At Read to Grow, we don’t just donate books—we do it responsibly. As we work towards our goal of delivering 2 million books to 2,000 projects in 100 countries by 2027, we recognize the importance of reducing our environmental impact. That’s why we actively offset emissions from our book shipments and take steps to make our operations as sustainable as possible.
Why Offsetting Matters
The transportation industry is a major contributor to global CO₂ emissions. While shipping books to communities in need is vital, we believe in doing so without harming the planet. To balance out our carbon footprint, we invest in reforestation projects, support local tree-planting initiatives, and optimize our logistics to minimize waste. Since our founding in 2003, we have planted 400 trees in the Congo and are committed to expanding these efforts as we scale our book donations. By supporting Read to Grow, your company is not only funding literacy but also contributing to a greener, more sustainable world.
Aligning with Global Sustainability Goals
Supporting Read to Grow means contributing to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global efforts like the Paris Agreement. Our work directly supports:
🌍 SDG 4: Quality Education – By providing free books, we help ensure that children, students, and communities in developing countries have access to the knowledge they need to thrive.
🌱 SDG 13: Climate Action – We offset our emissions and promote sustainable logistics, reducing our environmental footprint while advancing education.
🌎 SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – We work with businesses, governments, and NGOs to create lasting educational ecosystems.
The Paris Agreement set a global framework to limit temperature rise and combat climate change. At Read to Grow, we recognize that corporate partnerships are crucial in achieving these goals. By sponsoring our book shipments, your business can actively support sustainable development while meeting its own corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ESG goals
🍃 A Sustainable Approach to Giving
- We believe in reusing, recycling, and repurposing books that would otherwise go to waste. Instead of letting books sit on shelves or end up in landfills, we give them a new purpose by placing them in the hands of those who need them most.
- By offsetting emissions and planting trees, we ensure that our mission doesn’t come at the cost of the environment.
Current: 2025
Goal: 2027
Partner With Us: Corporate Giving for Global Literacy
There are various ways your business can support our mission to donate books and foster global literacy. Whether you contribute through regular donations, single shipments, or by supporting our outreach missions, every bit helps us create a lasting impact on the lives of those who need it most.
Yearly Donations
Your company can make a significant difference with an annual donation that supports our entire operations. These donations—typically over 20,000 Euros —help fund essential areas such as:
- Our large warehouse: where we sort, pack, and store books
- Book drives: ensuring the collection, transportation, and distribution of books to schools, libraries, orphanages, and communities in need.
- Shipments to developing countries: helping us deliver books to educational projects in remote areas.
Single Book Shipments
It costs us 90 Euro Cents to send a book. For those who prefer to donate to a specific shipment, we welcome smaller donations that help fund the transportation of books to developing countries. This could range from a single box of books to larger containers filled with educational resources.
- Single box shipments: Perfect for businesses looking to donate a smaller, yet impactful, amount.
- Larger container donations: If your company is looking to make a bigger impact, these donations allow us to deliver larger volumes of books to schools, libraries, and orphanages in need.
Supporting Our Outreach Missions
Our outreach missions are a crucial part of our work. These missions involve our ambassadors traveling to the countries receiving the books to conduct research, bridge partnerships, and film the entire process. This is an essential part of our operation for several reasons:
- Bridging partnerships: We build meaningful relationships with local organizations and governments, ensuring the books go to places where they are most needed.
- On-the-ground research: Our ambassadors assess the effectiveness of book donations, making sure the materials are being used properly and are positively impacting the community.
- Documenting the impact: By filming these missions, we create valuable footage that shows the real-world impact of your donations. This footage is used to measure the effectiveness of our programs, demonstrate transparency, and inspire other potential donors to get involved.
Seeing the direct results of these missions helps us track the effectiveness of our initiatives and refine our approach. Measuring impact through actual footage and research ensures we are truly making a difference, and this documentation provides proof of our success, making it easier to show the value of your support.
Support Read to Grow
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