📚 teaching kids to love books on an epic scale 🤓

Grassroots initiative We Love Reading has transformed how kids in the Middle East learn to read. Founder of the campaign Rana Dajani says they have now reached 400,000 children in Jordan, opened around 4,000 libraries, delivered some 250,000 children books and conducted more than 140,000 reading sessions. Their next focus is to bring books to Syrian refugee camps.

🌳 planting forests in India’s ‘slum for the rich’ 🌁

Gurgaon is a satellite city on the outskirts of New Delhi that houses some of the country’s leading finance firms. Built entirely by private firms with no government involvement, the city lacks basic public infrastructure such as sewerage and garbage disposal. This resulted in a 5 km long waterway being turned into an open toilet and a public dumping ground 💩

Environmentalist Latika Thukral launched ‘IAmGurgaon’, a campaign to clean the waterway and create a bio-diversity park that connects the city for cyclists. Already, the waterway has been cleaned and half of the forest has been planted.

🥤 taking long walks on the beach ⛱️

Mohamed Oussama Houij is on a mission to clean up 300 kilometres of Tunisian coastline. Since July, he’s picked up litter wherever he finds it and so far he’s cleaned up 14 beaches. He expects to reach the end of his journey next month.

Check his Facebook page for pics and videos updates.

🧐 Build something 🗣️

Human Libraries are places where real people are on loan to readers. They’re designed to build a positive framework for conversations that can challenge stereotypes and prejudices through dialogue. The goal is to create places where difficult questions are expected, appreciated and answered.

Learn how to start your own local chapter here.

🏔️ Upcoming events 💻

Sussex, UK (August 24–27)

The Byline Festival aims to promote independent journalism and free speech. There will be 150 talk sessions and over 100 workshops on topics such as grassroots journalism and digital activism, as well as a panel discussion with the Cambridge Analytica whistleblowers. Oh, and Pussy Riot are headlining 😻

🎟️ Tickets are still available for the festival here 🎟️

📨 Help us out 📨

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