Enriching Children’s Lives With Inspiring Picture Books Articles

However, this is not the case for some Southeast Asian markets. A joint Unesco and Unicef report highlighted that 78% of 10-year-olds in Southeast Asia are in learning poverty, lacking minimum literacy proficiency, and unable to read and understand simple text. The recent pandemic further strained education systems and learning in the region.

Having recognized the opportunity to share knowledge with other less privileged children, DKSH and the Shanti Volunteer Association came together in Japan for a unique program to boost reading habits among children in other markets in the region.

Titled “Campaign to Deliver Picture Books”, the program involved creating translated versions of picture books created by Japanese publishers. We placed stickers with translations in local languages on top of the Japanese originals and sent them out to children in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Nepal.

The objective was to empower these children with the gift of knowledge and the magic of storytelling. When the children receive these picture books, they develop language skills, learn new words, and delve into historical facts. This will allow the children to expand their horizons and connect with the bigger world outside of their communities.

The program is a part of DKSH Japan’s ongoing CSR activities to support children’s education in developing markets in Asia. These include extending donations like school bags, clothing, and stationery for underprivileged children.

At DKSH, our purpose is to enrich people’s lives. We do so by providing reliable access to high-quality and responsible products and services, creating sustainable value for our partners, and contributing to raising the quality of life in the communities we operate in by generating jobs, perspectives, and opportunities for people’s development and growth.