In February this year, Kids’ Educational Engagement Project (KEEP) launched its maiden Read2Ride pilot project. The pilot project was made possible through the partnership of the Dan Mcnaughton Foundation and the Open Society Initiative to provide a fun way for community kids who don’t usually have access to a bicycle to ride one after a reading session. Many families have limited disposable income for “luxury” items like bicycle and as such cannot afford to purchase a bike for their children, so this is a great way to get the kids to exercise, have fun and develop a love for reading.
Meet Otis, Valentina, and Albert of Gbengbar’s Town, our Read2ride top performers. Every Saturday, Otis, Valentina, Albert and other kids visit KEEP’s reading room at June L. Moore Public School for two hours of reading, learning new words and of course a fun time bicycling after completing a number of assigned books.
Otis, Valentina and Albert have been prized with their own bicycles because of their outstanding accomplishments and dedication to reading, active participation in reading sessions, and having perfect attendance. In the last 6 months, Valentina completed a total of 36 books, Otis completed 34 books and Albert completed 22 books onsite, in addition to weekly take home books. Overall, 12 readers participated actively in the reading exercises and approximately 200 books were read.
KEEP’s Read2Ride reading promotion project helps build consistent, thriving and improved readers at our most active reading rooms. The bicycles were given to the top students and consolation prizes of bookbags and books were given to other participants to celebrate and encourage the kids while trying to accomplish our goal of promoting a reading culture in Liberia. The next cycle of the Read2Ride program starts in October 2023.
