The Book Bus Victoria Falls Zambia Do you remember learning to
read? Do you remember working out each word? It’s an amazing
feeling: being read to and then being able to read the words for
yourself. The adventures you take, the power of understanding
and the doors of perception that open. From Beatrix Potter to
Harry Potter or Hello Magazine to Homer’s Odyssey, all that we
read shapes the person we become. Knowledge and education can
keep us from harm and boost our chance of a healthy future. Or
as Nelson Mandela put it: “Education is the most powerful weapon
you can use to change the world” Education and learning to read
is taken for granted here in the UK. In Zambia it’s estimated
that 800,000 children miss out on a basic education every day.
Children spend the day collecting water, tending fields or even
running the family home (1 in 6 children is orphaned). The long
walk to school, combined with school fees (which are mandatory
for all schools) prevented children from accessing a simple,
basic education.