"Reading is a ladder out of poverty. It is probably one of the best anti poverty, anti-deprivation, anti-crime, anti-vandalism policies you can think of."

U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on the launch of the National Year of Reading, 8 January 2008

Haiti Reads believes that each child in Haiti should have access to books. Unfortunately, only children whose families can afford the approximate $150.00 annual tuition have access to books, and even those children use outdated textbooks, if any at all.

Haiti Reads believes that it can change the literacy rate in the communities it serves by teaching free basic literacy classes to children and their parents. It is our believe that those who have the chance to take advantage of these free classes will be able to teach what they have learned to others in their community.

"When I was a child, my family was too poor to send me to school. We had one book which I looked at every day. I was determined to learn what those words on the pages meant. With much resolve, I learned how to read by asking the few people in my family who knew how to read to teach me. It was a struggle, but I was determined. Today, I speak and can read in four different languages. Books made this possible for me." 

 - Donald Dorcilus, Haitian Musician