Let’s give 10,000 disadvantaged children a chance to read with understanding!

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 12. 12. 10:03

For many people, learning to read may be the only way out of deep poverty. According to United Way Hungary, it is not enough to put a book in a child’s hands; much more is needed. The Learning Facilitation Program (TKP), developed together with teachers, has now become almost synonymous with the organization’s activities, and can also be used where parents cannot spend enough time with their children. United Way Hungary launched a fundraising campaign in November-December 2024. The funds raised will help disadvantaged children learn to read.

Reading and books open up new worlds, develop creative thinking, and their irreplaceable beneficial effects could be endless. We rarely think about the fact that for many people, learning to read may be the only way out of deep poverty. This is one of the most important skills that every child needs. It is a fundamental condition for communication, finding one’s way in society, entering the labor market and/or continuing education, i.e. standing on one’s own two feet.

The 2018 and 2022 PISA surveys also show that every fourth child in Hungary struggles with reading and comprehension difficulties, and the trend is worsening. All this can seal their fate for life, because they have more difficulty learning, fall behind their peers, and thus their chances of continuing education decrease, and their labor market and life opportunities may narrow. And the social gap widens further, as the proportion of children struggling with reading and comprehension difficulties is even higher when examining disadvantaged families.

There is no question, therefore, that in our country, especially in disadvantaged regions and institutions, there is a huge need for support programs aimed at renewing and modernizing the teaching of reading, as well as effectively encouraging reading. In addition, there is a need for beautiful, interesting, new books that will be sent to disadvantaged institutions, which will arouse the interest of children and which they will be happy to pick up.