Looking Back: The History of LitMoms Clubs

The Impact of LitMoms Clubs

“It takes a village to raise a child.”

At LitWorld, we know just how true this proverb is—especially when it comes to learning. In order to truly thrive, a child's learning cannot be limited to the confines of a classroom. Every child deserves access to a joyful learning environment at school and at home, and every caretaker deserves the chance to create one.

First piloted in 2012, LitMoms Clubs provide caretakers everywhere with the tools they need to support themselves and their families. By giving mothers access to the entrepreneurial training, literacy empowerment, and social support that so many women are often denied, LitWorld helps women become leaders in both their homes and communities—creating change for generations to come.

Recognizing the importance of family in a child's learning, LitWorld first developed LitMoms Clubs in 2012 to provide even further support for our partner communities. These revolutionary programs combined literacy empowerment and social support with income generation components such as technology training, sewing lessons, and food/nutrition workshops. Initially piloted in a few select locations, LitMoms Clubs now run in countries around the globe and have become an essential tool for supporting our partners.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, LitMoms played an especially pivotal role in their communities. At Art of a Child in Uganda, LitMom Jessica used the skills she learned in LitMoms Clubs to make and sell protective masks, preventing the spread of COVID-19 while earning income to support her family.

In Pakistan, LitMoms at Seeds of Hope took action by starting a friendly sewing competition to make face masks, which they then distributed for free. Safia, winner of the competition, stated that "[I] am really grateful to LitWorld and Seeds of Hope Foundation for giving me this opportunity to use my skills for the betterment of humanity in such a crucial circumstance."

LitMoms also proved vital in keeping kids learning throughout the pandemic. By reading aloud together and sharing activities they had learned in LitMoms Clubs, mothers at Ready for Reading in Rwanda were able to keep their families safe, engaged, and hopeful despite school closures and shutdowns.

Reaching Even More Kids at Home with Zigazoo!

With the new school year beginning amidst the ongoing pandemic, students around the world are facing greater obstacles than ever when it comes to continuing a meaningful, positive education.

That is why in addition to our Virtual LitClubs, we are proud to announce our new channel on Zigazoo: a revolutionary remote-learning app for kids!

One of the LitWorld projects on Zigazoo.

Founded earlier this year, Zigazoo is a free app that offers kids engaging and educational prompts that they can respond to with their own short videos.

With over 2.5 million views as of this week, LitWorld is working with Zigazoo to reach millions children around the world.

Together with the Pheonix Zoo, Glazer's Children Museum, and more, LitWorld will be joining Zigazoo to provide joyful learning to kids everywhere.

Check out our channel now by downloading the app and searching for LitWorld, or learn more about Zigazoo by visiting their site or reading about their recent launch today.

How We’re Keeping Kids Learning through Covid-19 this Summer

As soon as the pandemic took hold, we knew summer learning would need to be extra innovative and responsive this year.

We moved quickly with our publisher Scholastic, creating a version of our renowned summer program to bring the strengths of LitCamp right into children’s homes in partnership with school districts across the U.S.

LitCamp at Home sent kids and families book packs, workbooks, and videos in both English and Spanish, and provided educators with flexible resources as they worked together to create safe, inspiring virtual learning spaces for their students.

Click here to watch the LitCamp at Home Read-Aloud Series featuring LitWorld founder Pam Allyn!

All summer long, LitCamp at Home has been providing schools and families alike from New York to Georgia to Texas with the resources they need to support the kids in their communities. Learn about the impact of LitCamp at Home from school leaders in Marietta, Georgia, and El Paso, Texas, in these full interviews with the Scholastic team.

We have also continued to innovate our curriculum delivered to our community-based partners around the world, which we have now made available for all!

These virtual programs are open to anyone and everyone in need of resources that are educational, socially and emotionally supportive, and—above all else—rooted in joy.

Watch the complete first edition of Virtual LitClub here, and check out our follow-up series, Virtual LitClub: LitCamp Edition!

This series is our next step in bringing safe, joyful learning to children around the world and keeping families and communities everywhere connected, engaged, and inspired—no matter the circumstances.

With new activities, prompts, and projects all centered around LitWorld’s 7 Strengths, Virtual LitClub is designed to reach kids at home, on the go, on their own, or together with others. Visit our site or social channels to see the collection, and sign up for our newsletter to have more Virtual LitClub updates delivered straight to your inbox!

Kids around the world having fun with Virtual LitClubs!

A Special Message from Our Friends in India

Dear LitWorld Friends,

Today started quite typically for me - with a call from two inspiring LitWorld coordinators (Meera and Prasad) at Centre for Development (CfD) in Ahmedabad, India. Our conversation quickly turned to an expected topic: the ongoing pandemic.

Like so many of the grassroots organizations that LitWorld partners with, CfD works within communities that lack access to basic resources like education, housing, and healthcare. For these already underserved families, the spread of COVID-19 and worldwide shutdowns have had dire consequences.

“Families rely on daily labor to put food on the table,” Meera and Prasad shared. “And for many kids in our LitClubs, schools often provided their only meal for the day." 

Yet despite these challenges, their message was not one of despair. It was one of hope, strength, and determination. 

Since the pandemic, LitWorld’s partners like CfD have been quick to respond to their community's needs. Our mentors and coordinators are delivering educational LitClub materials alongside necessities including soap, jugs of water, masks, sanitary pads, and emergency food like rice and beans. Meera calls older LitClub members and helps them advocate for government assistance. As of this week, some have even resumed LitClub meetings at half-capacity, keeping six feet apart and wearing masks, so that children can feel educationally and emotionally supported and understood amidst this crisis.

“Our families and our children are resilient,” Meera and Prasad continued. “We can get through anything, no matter how difficult.” And thanks to supporters like you, LitWorld is with them every step of the way. With your help, we can continue providing our kids around the world with the support they need now more than ever.

Thank you for helping LitWorld's global community through this crisis. Like Meera and Prasad told me, I know that when we work together, we can get through anything.

With hope,

Mariya Ohulchanska
LitWorld Programming Coordinator

Supporting Our Children through COVID-19

We are all feeling the impact of COVID-19, and this is especially true for our children - particularly children living in poverty or in communities of color.

Without school or their regular support systems, children around the world are struggling with fear, anxiety, and isolation unlike anything they have ever known - and experts agree that the emotional and psychological consequences of this will last far beyond the pandemic itself. As lifelong advocates for the social-emotional well-being of children, we at LitWorld are working harder than ever to make sure that our youngest and most vulnerable are not left behind during this crisis. However, we cannot do this alone. 

A LitClub mentor from Rift Valley Reading Association in Kenya making face masks.

Today, we are launching a campaign to raise $100,000 by the end of June to support millions of children who are missing critical school time due to COVID-19. 

With your help, we can provide kids and families with programs like LitCamp at Home and Virtual LitClub, and give them the safe and joyful learning they desperately need - through summer and beyond.

Check below to see some of the ways your donation will help us reach children and communities around the world, and please consider donating to help us provide children and communities everywhere with the social and academic tools they need to thrive during these uncertain times.

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Virtual LitClubs

Thanks to our Virtual LitClubs, kids everywhere are staying safe and engaged with weekly art projects, prompts, poems, and more. These two LitKids from Art of a Child in Uganda are having fun creating their own ‘Kindness Journals’ while practicing safe social distancing guidelines.

The Global Heart Map Project

Kids and adults alike are connecting online by taking part in our #GlobalHeartMap project, sharing some of what they're going through with others from around the world. Check out the submission gallery to see some of the amazing Heart Maps people have sent in thus far!

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Live Videos

We are live-streaming videos on Facebook and Instagram each week to help our families and mentors find fun and safe ways to stay connected throughout quarantine. From arts and crafts to read-alouds, these videos offer exciting and engaging content to help keep our kids emotionally engaged and entertained!

Stay tuned for more info about upcoming programs like “LitCamp at Home”, and help support our children today!

Introducing Virtual LitClubs! A Letter from our Executive Director

Dear Friends,

We are all in this together. I know that I am not alone as I practice breathing exercises to slow my racing mind; as I moderate my intake of the news, which seems to be the same scary story over and over. At the same time, I am so grateful for what I have: access to clean water, food, a secure home filled with books, reliable internet, and the LitWorld community, which remains so powerful in the wake of this pandemic.

I am also relieved to know that, thanks to their LitWorld experiences, LitKids everywhere have the tools they need to stay safe and supported during this global crisis. They can read, understand, and share life-saving information about medical precautions. They can express their feelings and value the perspectives of others. And they can be confident in having a strong network of peers and mentors to rely on.

LitWorld was built to be flexible and address kids' needs in any place, at any time. That is why we are excited to share the launch of our “Virtual LitClub” that is open to all, including our ongoing global partners. We are also working on an "at-home" version of our summer LitCamps, ensuring that no LitKids will be left without these life-changing opportunities for learning and inspiration.

As a global community, we must address both our immediate needs and those of tomorrow. Amplifying the voices of our children is more important than ever. That is why we need your help.

Here are three ways YOU can take action now!

1. Join our

Global Heart Map Project!

Click to learn more and share your story with the world.

2. Start a

Virtual LitClub!

Tune in to our weekly Facebook Live Videos every Wednesday, and sign up now to receive an email every Monday with activities, projects, and more.

3. Donate today!

We have unfortunately had to cancel our 2020 gala, severely impacting our revenue, but our work never pauses.

Many of our LitKids do not have the same resources we do. Clean water is not a given. There is no spare room for isolation if a family member is sick. But they have something powerful: information, literacy tools, and this incredible community. Let’s do what we can to ensure that our LitKids' voices and stories continue to be heard!

With appreciation,
Dorothy Lee
Executive Director

Virtual Read-Alouds, Drawing Sessions, and More to Enjoy at Home!

“Reading gives us someplace to go
when we have to stay where we are.”

- Mason Cooley

Reading aloud and sharing stories is more than just a fun way to pass the time. It’s an invaluable way of building bonds and connecting with others that humans have relied on throughout history, and during these challenging times, that sense of togetherness is more important than ever.

As we learn to adapt to these many new challenges, people everywhere are working hard to ensure that we can all take part in the joy of reading aloud. Check below for a list of online read-alouds and more from educators, actors, celebrities, and artists from all around the world!

For more ways to stay engaged, sign up for our upcoming weekly virtual LitClubs, check out our list of at-home resources, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as we continue releasing new content!