The World is Just a Book Away

Today is International Literacy Day, a chance to recognize the power of literacy to open doors of opportunity. Yet, millions of children around the world still lack access to books and education.

Will you change that? Every $20 donated provides 10 new stories to children without access to books at home. You can help make literacy a reality for every child! 💚💛💙 Donate today: https://www.wijaba.org/?form=donate

There’s nothing like the simple joy of getting lost in a good book. 📖✨

This , take a moment today to dive into a good book! What are you currently reading?

🌿 At WIJABA, we believe that education extends beyond the classroom. Our environmental programs empower students to become stewards of their communities and the planet.

Through our partnership with Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, students tend to gardens and learn about sustainability, conservation, and how to take action for a greener future. 🌍 Together, we’re planting seeds of change—one student at a time.

Have you met Luna yet? 🐴 She’s pictured here with Zach Norris, a WIJABA volunteer from Norway. Luna brings books to more than 2,700 students who live on a remote volcano in Java, Indonesia. Every child deserves to have access to books!

Every month, our Mobile Libraries visit schools and orphanages that don’t have libraries of their own. They deliver 100 new books for children every time they visit! 🚗📚 Who knew that four wheels could be so powerful?

Did you know that WIJABA has partnered with communities to build 100 libraries at primary schools and orphanages in Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States?! These libraries often provide the children who use them with their ONLY access to books. 🙌 Thank you for making this possible.

You’ll find fashion industry executive Jenny Ming’s story (and many more) in “The World is Just a Book Away,” edited by our founder, James Owens, and illustrated by Ryane Acalin. Get the book: https://www.wijaba.org/book

Back-to-school season is right around the corner! 🚌 This school year, will you support students in Indonesia with books, libraries, and educational programs?

Every $20 donated can provide 10 new books! Donate today: https://www.wijaba.org/?form=donate

📷: Sidoarjo Library

The theme of this year’s International Youth Day (today!) is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.” Teaching youth digital skills enables them to use technology to create lasting solutions for global challenges.

Our Online Education Program uses accessible technology (YouTube and WhatsApp) to reach students—bridging the digital divide and opening up the world of possibilities that technology brings. 💻

📷: T-shirt says “Knowledge is Power” in Indonesian

BOOKS—they have the power to open up our worlds and change our perspectives. They take us on adventures, teach us empathy, and ignite our imaginations.

💭 What book has impacted you the most?

At WIJABA, we’re on a mission to promote literacy, education, and health around the world.

Over the past 15 years, we’ve supported 872,295 students in Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States. How many more children can we reach together in the next 15 years?!

✌️ and ❤️ from your WIJABA family around the world. While the school year has already started in Indonesia, we hope our friends abroad are having a great summer!

Happy birthday, Harry Potter! ⚡ Today, we celebrate The Boy Who Lived and the magical world that has inspired millions of hearts around the world. Harry's journey teaches us about courage, friendship, and the power of education.

What’s your favorite Harry Potter book?

Join us in celebrating our passionate interns this ! Each year, our team in Indonesia welcomes a total of 54 interns. They gain experience working at an international NGO and gain college credit while helping us reach thousands of children with educational programs. Thank you for all you do! 🙌

Did you know that Indonesia is home to many endangered species? They include orangutans 🦧, Sumatran tigers 🐯, and Komodo dragons 🐲.

Our Environmental Education Program in partnership with Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots raises awareness about these animals and their habitats. It also teaches students to take action for the planet.

It was Marcel Proust’s books that showed Frank Gehry the importance of being present. “The incidental things, meeting someone, having coffee, or talking with your grandmother—these fleeting moments in a day are so important to our lives,” Gehry said. “I think we all have a tendency to live for the next moment, instead of the moment we’re in.”

You’ll find architect Frank Gehry’s story and many more in “The World is Just a Book Away,” edited by our founder, James Owens, and illustrated by Ryane Acalin. Gehry also reflects on a conversation he had with a client of his, Jay-Z! Get the book: https://www.wijaba.org/book

Through our online Environmental Education Program in partnership with Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, students learn about their surrounding environment—and how they can protect it. Video lessons include:

🐯 Take care of me before I go extinct!
🌿 The rainforest, the lungs of the world
🐘 Are you aware? Animals have feelings, too

Empowered with knowledge and skills, these young people will make positive change in their communities.

How’s your summer garden coming along? WIJABA students in Indonesia cultivate gardens at school. They’re growing cucumbers 🥒, eggplant 🍆, shallots 🧅, bell peppers 🫑, and more! Every garden planted is a step towards a greener future.

Kick back and relax with a good book this summer! 🔆 Reading can reduce stress levels by up to 68%—even more than listening to music or going for a walk. Pick up a book and enjoy the benefits. 📖

Health

Happy Fourth of July to our friends in the USA! ❤️🤍💙

When it comes to independence, education and literacy are powerful. A child who is educated has the skills, knowledge, and confidence to overcome challenges, pursue their dreams, and uplift their communities.

What greater freedom is there than that?

📷: Bali Mobile Library

Our team in Indonesia recently hosted “WIJABA FESTCO KIDS 2024,” an environmental education festival in Kediri Regency. It was attended by around 500 participants!!

The festival included student performances and appreciation for teachers and schools that collaborate with WIJABA. Thank you to everyone who made this event a success!

Unfortunately, many children lose reading skills during summer vacation. In fact, a few months without reading can set a child’s reading proficiency back 2-3 months!

Studies show that the best way to maintain that reading level and prevent the “summer slide” is by reading during the summer. Just 4-6 books should do the trick!

But for kids who don’t have access to books, this loss of skills might be inevitable. Your $20 donation can provide 10 life-changing books for our students in Indonesia.

Donate today to make a difference: https://www.wijaba.org/?form=donate

After Anne Frank’s diary was translated and published abroad, her father Otto asked Miep Gies again and again to read his daughter's writing.

Finally, with fear in her heart, Miep opened the book and turned to the first page. And then, she read it without stopping.

You’ll find Miep’s story and many more inspiring tales in “The World is Just a Book Away,” edited by our founder, James Owens.

This book captures the magic of reading by showing how books changed the lives of the world’s most prominent figures. Get your copy: https://www.wijaba.org/book

Today is the longest day of the year, which means more hours of sunlight for reading! ☀️📚 What kinds of books do you like to read during the summer?

Maybe a mystery that keeps you engaged and guessing, or a slower-paced biography that helps you relax and clear your mind. Either way, we’d like to know what’s on your summer reading list! Let us know in the comments.

There are so many remarkable literary fathers and father figures that it was challenging for us to pick only a few favorites. But on this Father’s Day, we encourage you to pick up a book that highlights fatherhood (like these 4!).

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads who share the joys of reading with their kids! What’s your favorite dad-related book?

It’s time to celebrate: we’ve reached 50,000 YouTube subscribers! 🎉

Shout-out to the amazing kids in Indonesia who participate in our online Roots & Shoots and Health & Hygiene educational programs! They are the reason we do what we do.

Want to check out our videos? Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/

The sun’s out, and the temperature is rising! Perfect weather for a summer garden. Our students in Indonesia use their green thumbs to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables, including eggplant, cucumbers, and peppers. 🍆🥒🌶️

Learning how to grow their own food is one step they can take toward a brighter, greener future. What are you growing this summer?

Happy World Environment Day! 🌏 Through our partnership with Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, we try to embody this year’s slogan, “Our Land, Our Future” each and every day.

Together, we’ve been able to educate more than 40,000 children and plant nearly 5,500 trees. And we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon!

What steps do you take to protect our beautiful yet vulnerable Earth? Let us know in the comments. ⬇️

What’s the best book you read as a child? Maybe you remember how it lit up your imagination or made you feel less alone in this great big world.

Thank you, , for your wonderful artwork that reminds us to acknowledge the power of stories—they can inspire us and remind us that magic still exists in the world.

What was your favorite childhood book? What impact did it have on you?

The only thing better than reading? Reading with friends. 🙌

Share this post with a friend you’d like to be next to with a good book in hand!