Helping the World Read

Chance Wilson is a 17 year old high school senior from Baton Rouge, and the Founder of WGI (www.wgihq.org).

Chance Wilson
Jul 24, 2017 · 3 min read

“If you think this will go global, you’re in the wrong room”.

It was 2014 when I heard those words. A 14 year old 8th grader at Westdale Middle School, I had founded a non-profit called WGI (Wilson Global Initiative) just a few months prior. WGI works to educate people around the world to stop illiteracy.

I was sitting at our first board of directors meeting in a law office. Picture the scene: A timid, mild mannered teenager at the head of a table full of executives.

A room full of smiles from our One Community program in Baton Rouge

I recall being so nervous during the meeting. I had left the freedom of youth and was suddenly thrust into adulthood. That’s when I heard those words that have continued to stick with me:

“If you think this will go global, you’re in the wrong room”.

Those who are familiar with WGI know how wrong that quote was.

I ended up spending the next three years building WGI from an idea to an international non-profit active in six countries. Our reach includes the US, Hong Kong, Tanzania, and a few others.

Group photo from the launch of our Read and Rice program in Malaysia.

After building the infrastructure locally here in Baton Rouge, I immediately set my sights globally. Hong Kong was the first international chapter of WGI. I recall spending the summer of 2015 recruiting board members in Hong Kong. I was so used to rejection or being ignored from people in my city that I didn’t expect much feedback.

Boy was I wrong.

I managed to pull together a great team of business leaders in HK. We set our sights on English literacy, eventually partnering with a local charity and teaching English to refugees. From there WGI expanded significantly in the region. I then spent the better part of two years launching chapters in The Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Once things had stabilized, I set my sights on another part of the world: Africa. This year, we have launched a chapter in Tanzania. We have a great group of local business leaders serving on board.

Members of our board in Tanzania. Vintan Mbiro, Irene Kiwia, Dean Delaney, and Lusiu Peter.

As I type these words, I’m amazed by how far we’ve come. Even more so, I’m amazed at the challenge before us. 700 million illiterate people. A tenth of the global population.

And I’m committed to helping everyone of them learn to read.

So how do we do that?

It starts with infrastructure. You have to give people the means to be able to become literate. In Tanzania, our Digital Libraries program is tackling this need by planning to build libraries in the region. We are starting in Dar Es Salaam, where are are screening local schools to partner with. Building this infrastructure and providing it to young students is a critical way to break systematic illiteracy.

But, what about the people already affected?

Outreach. Our Read and Rice program, active in our Asian chapters, does this. We have to reach those who are illiterate and provide them with the resources they need. Our R&R program provides free English classes and food to participants. This is a brilliant way to reach those in need. We’ve launched R&R in Singapore, Malaysia, and The Philippines. We plan to launch in Hong Kong this fall, with a tentative launch planned in Indonesia as well.

Group photo from our Read and Rice program in Singapore.

The task before us is awesome. The need is even more awesome. And yet, I still have the same passion today at 17 that I had at 14. I’m still, clear eyed and big hearted, ready to change the world.

Why?

Because, these last three years have taught me: Nothing is impossible.

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