Worldreader Aims To Eradicate Global Illiteracy By Giving Children E-Readers - PBSNewsHour

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Sounds like a program to distribute up-to-date material, not end illiteracy

They seem to think that illiteracy is being caused by the material not being interesting enough. People don't learn to read in Africa because they've heard there are Hardy Boys e-books available for free; they get educated or not based on whether the children are close to a teacher, if the family can keep them healthy without them helping earn their living, and so on. And then we get this:

One of the earliest things that our kids asked us is, can we have a light so that we can read after dark?

And it was that sort of observation that made us realize, this really can work and it really can change the world.

And that is the sort of observation that should have made them realize that a community like that has more basic problems, such as no electrical system, and a few more basic things (rechargeable flashlights to use as general lighting? They're confident that they can charge up these e-readers in communities where they have no lighting) might help people a lot more than a publishing distribution system.