Celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Baci, along with social media influencer, EniOluwa AdeOluwa, have joined forces to promote healthy reading habits among young people through their partnership in the #WhenWeReadCampaign.
Their goal is to donate 5,000 books to youths, emphasizing the importance of improving literacy and encouraging book donations to individuals, libraries, underprivileged students, and organizations.
As part of the campaign, two books, one fiction, and one non-fiction, will be chosen and distributed monthly to encourage people of all ages to read and engage with literature.
Speaking on the initiative, Hilda Baci said, “The When We Read campaign is driven by my passion to enhance capacity among young people and instill knowledge across various interest areas. Reading enables a change in perspective. This is sometimes what is required to make an impact. The many opportunities ahead can become more effective by imbibing healthy reading habits. When we read, we know more, there is an endless well of knowledge and information in books and we can only find them when we read.’’
In contrast to spending excessive time endlessly scrolling on their phones, the campaign advocates for reading, whether through digital copies or hard copies. The WhenWeRead campaign aims to enhance literacy and writing proficiency by encouraging people to engage with books and written material.
On partnering with Enioluwa, Hilda said, ‘‘We both share similar values to create growth avenues for young people. The campaign aligns with our long-term plans to improve meaningful conversations and provide solutions to some of the challenges of young people.”
As per the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), emphasizing literacy in both formal and non-formal settings will bolster national strategies and policy development on literacy. It will also address the needs of marginalized communities, enhance the use of digital technologies to expand learning outcomes, and advance the evaluation of literacy skills. The WhenWeRead campaign stands as a notable initiative contributing to these objectives while simultaneously enhancing focus and communication skills.
