Beyond Words
Beyond Words
World Literacy Foundation and World Literacy Summit
Beyond words, the Literacy Podcast aims to bring together experts and change-makers to discuss crucial issues in creating a literate world, such as access, equity, and the role of technology in learning. Guests will offer valuable perspectives on how to ensure high-quality literacy education for all. This podcast is brought to you by The World Literacy Foundation and World Literacy Summit and our new host, the talented and experienced Deborah Marks. Deborah brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to our discussions as a journalist, editor, publisher, author, podcaster, and producer.
Literacy Heroes Unite: Sun Books Kenya & Tiny Ivy collaborate to transform lives through literacy!
Dive into the heart of literacy transformation! 🌍 In this captivating episode of Beyond Words Literacy Podcast, witness the dynamic collaboration between the World Literacy Foundation, Sun Books in Kenya, and the groundbreaking teaching approach of Tiny Ivy. Discover the inspiring journey of Tiny Ivy with Mary Silverswag, unveiling the innovative TIPS language born from a parent's quest to teach. Unravel the broader issues of illiteracy in the U.S. and the crucial role of orthography. Mary delves into Tiny Ivy's global potential, addressing challenges faced by educators and the need for change in teaching methodologies. Explore the application of Tiny Ivy in the U.S. and Kenya, navigating challenges and celebrating successes. Learn about Sun Books' initiative in Kenya, led by the dedicated Lamek, addressing literacy crises with a focus on creativity and collaboration. Despite challenges in Kenyan schools, witness the unwavering commitment of teachers. Lamek shares the urgency of tackling Kenya's literacy crisis and outlines Sun Books' strategic approach. The episode acknowledges the World Literacy Foundation's commitment to a literate world by 2040, inviting you to contribute and join forces as Christmas time approaches. Join this transformative journey as Sun Books and Tiny Ivy unite to empower minds globally. 📚✨ Support literacy and be part of the change! Visit the World Literacy Foundation website to make a lasting impact this Christmas time. 🌐🔗 https://worldliteracyfoundation.org Listen now for an inspiring journey and discover how you can be part of the global literacy movement. 📚✊ Tune in on your favorite podcast platform!
Dec 10, 2023
37 min
Resilience Through Reading: A Story of Hope from Afghanistan
In this episode of the Beyond Words podcast, we are honored to have Maryam, our World Literacy Youth Ambassador representing Afghanistan sharing her incredible journey and her vital work. As a young leader and a former senior human rights and gender officer, Maryam sheds light on the transformative power of education and literacy, especially for vulnerable groups such as young girls, minorities, and people with disabilities. She discusses the challenges women and girls face in accessing education in Afghanistan, including recent bans on girls attending school and the impact of this on their lives. Maryam also shares her remarkable efforts in creating a secret library to ensure access to books for women and girls, even in these challenging times.   Join us in this insightful conversation with Maryam as we explore the resilience of the human spirit and the crucial role literacy plays in empowering individuals and communities in Afghanistan.   Discover how digital books are becoming a lifeline for those in need and find inspiration in Maryam's unwavering commitment to promoting literacy and education with the support of the World Literacy Foundation despite adversity.   Stay tuned for an eye-opening and heartwarming discussion on the power of words, education, and hope. Join Maryam's fight for education in Afghanistan. Listen to her story of determination and resilience. 🎧
Oct 27, 2023
27 min
Write Your Legacy: My Name Is Ink
🎧📚 Dive into a realm where words wield immense power, and YOU become the author of change! Prepare for a podcast episode to ignite your creativity and warm your heart. In a world where the written word has nearly vanished, a young heroine named Ink is on a mission to bring it back from the brink of extinction. 📚 Her weapon? A story co-written by 5,000 people from around the world, including YOU! 🌍 "My Name Is Ink" is not just an art project; it's a movement for change. This project transcends borders, skin colors, and beliefs, creating a book that celebrates diversity. Your sentences hold the power to inspire creators worldwide. 📝 Engage in the Exquisite Corpse challenge, crafting concise 180-character contributions that steer the narrative. Each word you choose shapes the story's destiny. 🌐 Let's make reading and writing a fundamental right for all. Support My Name Is Ink, buy your sentence, co-write for change, and be part of an inspiring literary movement. 📢 Don't miss this chance to be part of something extraordinary. Tune in this episode and dive into the world of "My Name Is Ink" and discover how this global project is changing the world one sentence at a time. 📘 📗🎧🎤 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more. Let's rewrite history and kindle the flame of literacy together!
Sep 18, 2023
27 min
Reshaping the World with Great Wrap and Global Literacy: Julia Kay's Story
Get ready for an episode that will leave you inspired and hopeful for a brighter future! 🌟 Join us on the Beyond Words Literacy Podcast as we feature the incredible innovator and co-founder of Great Wrap, Julia Kay. Through their revolutionary initiative, they are reshaping the world's perception of materials 🌎📦, solving the problems of tomorrow with solutions today, but what's even more remarkable is her deep connection to the World Literacy Foundation. 📚🌍 Julia's involvement with the World Literacy Foundation goes beyond her entrepreneurial endeavours. She's also a key player on the board of the organisation, a role she views as critical in shaping a better future. Her passion for education, ignited by her mother's role as a primary school teacher 👩‍🏫🎒, fuels her drive to improve global literacy. 📖✨ As Julia exemplifies, the partnership between entrepreneurial spirit and literacy advocacy holds the key to building a brighter future. 💡🌱 Her dynamic role as a co-founder, environmentalist 🌿🍃, and education advocate underscores the essentiality of diverse perspectives in creating meaningful change. Tune in to the Beyond Words Podcast to hear Julia's incredible journey and insights into driving impactful transformation in the realm of materials and literacy. 🎙️🚀 By listening to this episode, you'll gain insights into Julia's journey of turning ideas into reality 💡🌟, while also understanding how her involvement with the World Literacy Foundation adds a unique dimension to her pursuits. Tune in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform to learn from Julia's wisdom and get inspired to take part in shaping a sustainable and educated world for everyone. 🎧🌏📚
Aug 21, 2023
24 min
Empowering Education in Crisis: A Conversation with Yasmine Sherif from Education Cannot Wait.
Join us for a riveting episode of the Beyond Words podcast as we sit down with Yasmine Sherif, the Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW), a global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises. Yasmine is at the forefront of a transformative movement that aims to deliver education to the most marginalized individuals in crisis settings worldwide. Under Yasmine's visionary leadership, ECW has achieved remarkable milestones in a short span of time. With over US$1.5 billion mobilized, ECW has successfully reached more than 7 million children affected by crises, providing them with holistic and quality education. At the heart of ECW's mission lies the commitment to prioritize foundational learning outcomes, including literacy, ensuring a brighter future for these vulnerable children. With 30 years of experience as a human rights lawyer working in war zones and crises, Yasmine brings invaluable expertise to her role at ECW's headquarters in New York. Regularly undertaking missions to crisis-affected countries, she assesses needs and strengthens ECW's responses on the ground, striving to address the educational challenges faced by those in dire circumstances. Yasmine's relentless advocacy for the right to education has made her a respected global advocate and a thought leader in her field. Her media presence and authorship of the book "The Case for Humanity: An Extraordinary Session" further amplify her voice. Recognitions such as the Global Educator Award in 2020 and the prestigious Mother Teresa Award on behalf of Education Cannot Wait in 2022 highlight her significant contributions to the global education landscape. Tune in to the Beyond Words podcast as we delve into Yasmine Sherif's inspiring journey, exploring her commitment to breaking down barriers and providing education in the midst of crises. Learn how ECW is repositioning education in emergencies as a top priority, generating greater commitment to meet the educational needs of millions of children and adolescents affected by crises worldwide. Don't miss this engaging conversation that sheds light on the urgent need for accessible education in times of crisis.
Jun 13, 2023
38 min
From Missed Benchmarks to Global Impact: The Inspiring Journey of Madi Franquiz
Join us on Beyond Words podcast as we embark on a profound journey with Madi Franquiz, the Youth Ambassador of the World Literacy Foundation. At just 25 years old, Madi fearlessly stood before the United Nations, advocating for children who, like her, missed the critical 3rd Grade Literacy Benchmark. From facing poverty and limited access to books to defying expectations, Madi's story is one of resilience and triumph. In this captivating episode, we explore Madi's incredible accomplishments, from self-publishing eight children's books to delivering a compelling address at the World Literacy Summit. Named the youngest founding member of the World Literacy Task Force, she continues to break barriers and serve as an inspiration to thousands worldwide. Madi's journey proves that education and determination can transform lives and create lasting change. Tune in to Beyond Words podcast and immerse yourself in the emotional and empowering tale of Madi Franquiz. Let her story ignite your passion for literacy and empower you to make a difference in the world.
Jun 1, 2023
25 min
Joining Forces to Eradicate Illiteracy: PWC USA and World Literacy Foundation Collaborate for a Greater Cause
Guided by purpose to build trust in society and solve important problems, the PWC community in NYC know they have an obligation to the communities in which they live and work.At a time in which establishing trust is more important than ever, they work to not only support communities directly but to empower their people to promote initiatives that align with their personal values.As they work to build that trust, they recognize that collaborating with other responsible business leaders striving for similar goals helps to benefit society as a whole.Literacy and financial literacy is critical to empowering communities, that’s why @pwc_usa have come on board @worldliteracy_foundation to build infrastructure and support the mission to eradicate illiteracy in 50 countries in the US by 2050.It’s the support of global companies and their people that help drive awareness, funding and education culminating in The World Literacy Taskforce attending the United Nations Assembly in September to connect and put Literacy firmly on the global stage
May 12, 2023
29 min
Beyond Words - Samantha Sida
Our special guest, Samantha Sida, co-founder of Limited Space and a World Literacy Foundation board member, shares her passion for tackling illiteracy worldwide. After attending the World Literacy Summit in Oxford, Samantha shares her insights on the impact of illiteracy on young people and how digital technology is changing the game. We dive into the World Literacy Taskforce, an initiative of The World Literacy Foundation launched in New York during the 77th UN General Assembly. The initiative brought together business leaders from around the world to offer their brainpower, skills, and resources to help eradicate illiteracy in 50 cities by 2030. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who cares about education, literacy, and making a difference in the world.
May 3, 2023
36 min
Amazing people inspire us to challenge ourselves.
Interview with these passionate literacy advocates in the UK part of the Literacy juggernaut driving change @worldliteracy_foundation @worldliteracysummit.They manage the @amazingpeopleschools libraries brimming with historic and contemporary inspiration to encourage all students to learn from some of the most extraordinary people.From characters like Frida Kahlo to scientific masters like Albert Einstein the Amazing People School platform is a kaleidoscope of characters and storytellers.
Mar 30, 2023
37 min
TATA's Adult Literacy Program: A Game Changer for Marginalized Women, Thanks to Kishan Gopal Laddha
Passionate and articulate, he’s seen the pain and shame that comes with illiteracy as many women struggle to access the essential resources they feel disempowered and frustrated. So as Head of Literacy at one of India's biggest companies TATA, Kishan chose to teach in the biggest slums in India - to serve to give and to empower. A beautiful warm, and engaging teacher and an engineer, he’s seen lives transformed within a week as they hold a pen for the first time, access new Literacy technology, and learn how to write and read🙏🏼📘😘🙏🏼🌎 With almost a million beneficiaries in 17 states of India, the TATA adult literacy program is transformative.📗📗 The literacy program has a unique focus on women and adults from marginalized communities and has also been extensively used by prison authorities as a reformation process for the inmates. 📘📘 Our guest Kishan Gopal Laddha started his professional career with Tata Consultancy Services, serving as a design engineer with one of the world’s largest medical manufacturing companies. Finding passion in serving, he joined the pioneering batch of Teach for India and taught as a primary teacher in low-income schools in India’s largest slums for two years. He joined TCS as the bridge between corporate and society and led Corporate Social Responsibility for central, north, and western India TCS CSR. Over the years, he worked with non-neo literates and empowered them with self-respect, confidence, and reliance. He heads TCS’ Literacy as a Service, which serves 1.1 mn+ people (>80%) women across India.🌺🌺🎤 His passion is incredible and inspiring, we hope you connect with his story as much as we did.
Mar 23, 2023
29 min
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