Bishkek – On April 21, during the World Book Day celebration at Kurmanjan Datka Square in Bishkek, U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Sheila Gwaltney announced a donation of over 130,000 books to 80 children’s libraries across the country. The United States will contribute the books through its USAID Reading Together project, which improves the reading skills of early grade students.

Each library will receive a set of 1,639 books featuring tales, stories, riddles, and poetry tailored to the needs of early readers. USAID worked closely with Ministry of Education and Science to select more than 230 titles in the Kyrgyz language.

The donation supplements USAID’s broader efforts to promote a culture of reading among young children and their parents. Strong reading skills serve as a foundation for successful learning in many other areas.

“Reading opens up many opportunities to learn and explore the world around us. Reading inspires our imagination and teaches us our history. It shapes our values and dreams, and connects us to other generations and cultures” said Ambassador Gwaltney during her announcement of the book donation.

In December 2016, the United States donated over a quarter million books to primary schools across the country through the USAID Reading Together project.

USAID, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Information, and the Ministry of Education work together within the Reading Together project to help children advance their reading skills through innovative teaching methods. The project has already reached 60% of primary schools, helping 260,000 students throughout the country build reading skills essential for future success.