The International Literacy Foundation (ILF) is an independent, international
nonprofit organisation, founded in 2010 with the aim of tackling
illiteracy globally and therefore improving living standards around the world.
Overview
The organisation has a mandate of alleviating
illiteracy throughout the world.
The core belief of the organisation and its affiliates is that
literacy is the 'quintessential cornerstone of education', key to reducing poverty and therefore raising living standards around the world. It maintains a dedicated focus on individual causes, with the potential to make a positive impact on underprivileged groups and their quality of life.
The ILF seeks to meet these objectives through ''the administration of literacy-based projects'', which is achieved through several methods:
* Conducting presentations and
seminars
* The donation of educational material, such as books and
computer technology
Computing is any goal-oriented activity requiring, benefiting from, or creating computing machinery. It includes the study and experimentation of algorithmic processes, and development of both hardware and software. Computing has scientific, ...
* Developing and expanding
library facilities
Mission statement
The mission of the ILF is based on its commitment to invest in initiatives encouraging and supporting literacy and
education, with a primary focus on literacy, as well as making grants to other organisations supporting similar educational causes, including those in which members and volunteers are engaged.
As the organisation has its roots in education, however, it has a firm belief in the power of
volunteers
Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...
to collaborate, creating human opportunity and exerting a positive impact on the quality of life of those who are less fortunate.
Funding provided will therefore target selected initiatives and activities that promote education through literacy.
A Global Literacy Primer can also be found on the website, highlighting additional information
Global Literacy Primer at ILF
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Individuals
Further information can be found on the website.[ILF website](_blank)
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Co-founders
* Moaad Taufik - primarily responsible for the onsite co-ordination and execution of international literacy projects, as well as co-ordinating volunteers and support work.
* Oliver Muller - responsible for public relations and international fundraising, mainly in Europe and the Middle East
* Batool Taufik - responsible for public relations and international fundraising, mainly in the United Kingdom and Western Europe; also responsible for implementing knowledge in selection of materials used in construction of facilities to maintain economic efficiency, via engineering background
Directors
* Dr. Abdulmagid Taufik - based in Liverpool, primarily responsible for establishing the strategic direction of the organisation as well as sourcing literacy-based projects worldwide, specifically in Europe.
Volunteers
Below are a list of countries in which volunteers for the ILF are working:
* Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an a ...
* Canada
* China
* Egypt
* Jordan
* Lebanon
* Nigeria
* Pakistan
* Turkey
* United Kingdom
** Scotland
** England
* United States of America
* United Arab Emirates
* Yemen
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe
Projects
''On the map above, completed projects are shaded in black while pipeline projects are shaded in green''
* January, 2011 Toronto, Canada: debut project completed at the First Nations School of Toronto (FNST); workshops conducted and presentations held to support the Aboriginal community in North America. Over $2,500 raised, going towards the purchase of hundreds of books and other educational materials.
* February, 2011 Karachi, Pakistan: second project completed at the NGO
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active i ...
sponsored Hope School in the Kurungi area of Karachi. Work carried out to convert an empty room at the school into a fully functional library (named the Bushra Khan Memorial Library, in commemoration of the highly regarded Pakistani/Canadian scholar Bushra Khan), providing over 600 books in numerous languages and two new computers with internet capabilities and a host of educational software.
* April, 2011 Nairobi, Kenya: third project completed at the By Grace Children's Home, a children's home for orphans, with 63 orphans aged 3–18; some were HIV
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...
positive. Situated in the Ngong district of the Kenyan capital Nairobi. Taufik visited, and converted an old room into a colourful library containing over 500 books and 2 PCs with access to the internet. The library was named the Salma Bishty Memorial Library, after a woman who actively encouraged literacy and the attainment of knowledge through literature.
Pipeline projects
As well as the two projects already completed thus far (as of March 27, 2011), the organisation has already highlighted several new locations in its tireless efforts to tackle the serious problem of illiteracy; these include:
* Lusaka
Lusaka (; ) is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is one of the fastest-developing cities in southern Africa. Lusaka is in the southern part of the central plateau at an elevation of about . , the city's population was about 3.3 millio ...
, Zambia
* Shanghai, China
* Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
, Egypt
* Zawiya, Libya
* Mumbai, India
Corporate sponsors
The ILF has collaborated with corporate sponsors, who help facilitate its international literacy projects. These organisations include the following, among others:
* Taufik Medicals Ltd
References
{{reflist
External links
ILF official website
ILF on Facebook
Organizations promoting literacy
International educational charities
Community-building organizations