Freedom Through Literacy Award

The Freedom Through Literacy Award

The Freedom Through Literacy Award was established by Judith’s Reading Room in 2015 to identify and honor individual champions of literacy from all disciplines around the world — teachers, librarians, authors, researchers, educators — anyone who has done exemplary work to instill in others a love of reading.

From 2015-2024, $58,600 was awarded to 71 champions of literacy in 18 countries.  The program is now concluded.

Judith’s Reading Room, a nonprofit literacy organization, was founded in 2010 in the memory of Judith F. Krug, a librarian, and cousin to the organization’s founders. Judy served as the Director of Intellectual Freedom for the American Library Association for 40 years.

2024 FREEDOM THROUGH LITERACY AWARDS WINNERS

For the first-time in ten years, Judith’s Reading Room announces an historic three-way tie for the $3,000 Grand Prize! Each winner will receive $1,000.

Grand Prize Award – $1,000

Brian Okinda – “IREAD (Investing in Rural Education and Development) Project”
BONDO, SIAYA, KENYA

Focusing on lifting the literacy standards of the Rarieda sub-county region of Kenya, Brian Okinda and the IREAD Project has had many successes. The project’s adult literacy program, and mobile community library, and reproductive health programming has led to the graduation of 267 adult learners, providing solar power to previously unlit communities, and has improved girls’ school attendance by 100%.

We are honored to acknowledge Okinda and the IREAD Project’s collective effort to instill a love of learning that lasts a lifetime with a 2024 Freedom Through Literacy Grand Prize Award.

Grand Prize Award – $1,000

Jeska Washington – “The Inzozi Center”
NYAMATA, RWANDA

Inspired by Maya Angelou’s poem, “Still I Rise,” and the power of words, Jeska Washington was inspired to create The Inzozi Center and address the crucial need for English proficiency in Nyamata,Rwanda (inzozi means dream in Kinyarwanda). In less than one year, attendance from 3 cities and hundreds of villages has surged to over 300 children daily. The center partners with local schools and includes the only public library, The Dream Big Library, housing over 3,000 books with a library coach, movie screenings, and diverse book clubs.

We celebrate Washington’s creating a beacon of hope and transformation in her community with a 2024 Freedom Through Literacy Grand Prize Award.

Grand Prize Award – $1,000

Marie-Martine Yobol-Njonga – “One Classroom, One Library”
YAOUNDE, CAMEROON

Marie-Martine Yobol-Njonga dedicates her life-work with this thought from Victor Hugo: “Whoever you are, who wants to cultivate, invigorate, tenderize, soothe… put books everywhere.” Her program, One Classroom, One Library does just that by installing small yet curated library cabinets in rural school classrooms across Cameroon. Prior to her initiative, less than 8% of schools in rural areas had a library. In less than 10 years, Yobol-Njonga has set up classroom libraries in 149 schools with 61,000 books, including fiction, comics and documentaries. She has trained 80 teachers, reaching nearly 41,000 students.

We delightfully honor Yobol-Njonga’s astonishing impact with a 2024 Freedom Through Literacy Grand Prize Award of $1,000.

Judith’s Award – $1,500

Amy Allison – “Advocacy for Teens Class”
STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA

Amy Allison’s project, Advocacy for Teens Class, teaches teens how to appropriately engage in civic and cultural literacy through a project that they eventually get to present at the local township meeting. Says Allison, “I feel it is my duty as a teacher to aid students in learning how to navigate our world, understand our cultural literacy and advocate for themselves and others.” Such advocacy mirrors the intentions, the dreams, the insistence, the passion of Judith F. Krug, in whose name Judith’s Reading Room was established.

We thus proudly award Amy Allison as winner of the 2024 Judith’s Award for her commitment to inspire the change-makers of tomorrow.

Board Option Award – $200

Patricia Baum – “Building Bridges to Literacy”
LA PAZ, MEXICO

Patricia is recognized for her multi-level project, Building Bridges to Literacy, at the largest bilingual library in the state of Baja California Sur. Established in 2003, the library is named after the illustrious Mexican author Elena Poniatowska, whose belief in the universal right to literacy has influenced the library’s collection to include works of famous Mexican authors. The bilingual storytelling program offers high school students a view of the world through poetry, mentored by a local poet, and serves as one of the library’s shining examples of Baum’s efforts to enrich lives through literacy.

Board Option Award – $200

Alicia Dal Pra – Somo Ninos, Nos Vamos de Safari
ARDSLEY, NEW YORK

Alicia Dal Pra, a bilingual children’s book author, was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, and is honored for her book, Somos Ninos, Nos Vamos de Safari, a beautifully illustrated and highly educational children’s book about the hippopotamus that shows children a different way to learn a new language. Dal Pra’s bilingual book provides a parallel vocabulary in Spanish and English, is accompanied by a Somos Ninos Podcast, and can even be used as a tool for classroom projects. “I want to keep offering to Hispanic families around the world quality content, not just for children but for families as well,” says Del Pra.

 

For her inspiring book, Dal Pra is awarded a $200 Board Option prize.

Board Option Award – $200

Victor Owuor – “Pages of Progress”
NAIROBI, KENYA

Victor Owuor’s Pages of Progress project goes beyond the boundaries of education – it gives anchor to a sense of community in one of the largest shanty-towns in the world, Kibera, in Nairobi, Kenya. The project is a leadership development initiative that uses storytelling apps and interactive e-books to engage young girls in a dynamic learning experience, making the process of acquiring literacy skills both entertaining and effective. Parents, inspired by the progress of their daughters, are even actively participating! According to Owuor, “I see literacy as a collaborative effort, involving educators, communities and policy makers working together to create environments where the seeds of literacy can flourish.”

 

For fostering a culture where families come together to share the joy of reading, Owuor is awarded a $200 Board Option prize.

Honorable Mention

Stephanie Keiper – “One Tooth Hilda”
EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA

Stephanie Keiper found a creative way to bring her manuscript—One Tooth Hilda—to life. Her engaging acting delights hundreds of visitors at the National Canal Museum and teaches the story of America’s historic towpath canals.

 

To encourage her to follow her dream to publish One Tooth Hilda, we name Keiper an Honorable Mention.

Honorable Mention

Pamela Laskin – “CCNY Poetry Outreach Center”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Pamela Laskin, published poet and 20-year director of CCNY’s Poetry Outreach Center in New York City, is recognized with an Honorable Mention for her life-work and unrelenting dedication to offer skills to young people so that they may give voice through poetry. The CCNY’s Poetry Outreach Center sends trained poetry mentors into schools to empower students first to express their feelings through the use of poetry.