History

Since its creation in 1997, Fundación Leer has had a clear vision: a literate Argentina in which each and every child has access to books, is able to read, and values reading.

With this objective in mind, its founders signed an agreement with Reading Is Fundamental, Inc., an organization that has developed literacy programs in the United States since 1966. The agreement authorized the implementation of RIF’s programs and teaching methods in Argentina.

That same year Fundación Leer started the program ¨Reading is Fundamental Argentina¨ (Leer es Fundamental Argentina), geared towards enabling underprivileged children to choose their first books and keep them.

The program went beyond the distribution of free books. Eighteen trained teachers discovered the importance of generating environments designed specifically for reading for pleasure within school. In its first year “Reading is Fundamental Argentina” brought together 1500 children and their teachers in 15 institutions across 3 provinces closer to innovative and effective literacy-promoting processes.

Further training followed in order to understand the importance of the family in the development of literacy and to develop methods to guarantee the family’s commitment and participation as well as that of the community at large.

In the following years, Fundación Leer developed various new programs in Argentina such as the Open Book Project, Shared Beginnings, Reading Corners in Community Centers, Health Centers and Community Centers, Reading Marathons, and The Importance of Reading and Family of Readers, to name a few.

In 2001 Fundación Leer reached a turning point: the development of its own programs and teaching methods such as Prepared for Life, The Writing Experience and Author’s Gallery.

Fundación Leer has had a great impact nationwide, thanks to its presence in over 300 locations across the country.

Along with its 292.779 volunteers, Fundación Leer has to date worked with 1.006.286 children and provided them with over 1.5 million new books. Furthermore, it has trained 9.960 teachers and community leaders in promoting and supporting literacy.

Fundación Leer obtained recognition from the National Board of Education, the Secretaries of State, and UNESCO, and was named a member of civil society by the Organization of American States (OAS).