Source: World Literacy Foundation
The World Literacy Foundation announced today that Zayna Mansoor, a student at Epsom Girls Grammar School, is a Youth Ambassador for 2025. She will serve as a local advocate, aiming to increase education and community awareness about the importance of reading and writing and lift literacy rates in Auckland, her home country of Pakistan, and beyond.
Zayna will join a global group of 15- 26-year-olds from 90 countries striving to improve literacy outcomes for disadvantaged children who struggle to read.
Zayna, a 17-year-old young woman with an unwavering passion for becoming a WLF ambassador, shares, “I am deeply committed to literacy as a fundamental human right and believe in its transformative power…I am excited about the opportunity to receive training in leadership and advocacy, enabling me to amplify my efforts and contribute meaningfully to eradicating illiteracy.”
Zayna is committed to ensuring everyone can access literacy resources. She feels strongly about joining a global initiative recognizing education as a fundamental human right and actively working towards a future where everyone can access resources to reduce illiteracy.
To Zayna, being a Youth Ambassador provides an opportunity for her to grow her abilities to advocate for issues she cares about and change the world. “Through the World Literacy Foundation Youth Ambassador program, I aim to develop the leadership and advocacy skills necessary to champion literacy in my home country, Pakistan. In rural areas, particularly among indigenous and tribal communities, girls face significant barriers to education due to cultural misconceptions, early marriages, and limited access to schools. Ultimately, I aspire to be a catalyst for change, empowering women and girls in Pakistan to pursue education without fear of societal constraints. This program will serve as a stepping stone in my journey to becoming a leader who advocates for and implements sustainable educational reforms in underserved communities,” she states.
Zayna is already a leader in her efforts to serve her community. As the co-head of the social media team for Chambeli, she promotes awareness for indigenous women’s rights through digital campaigns. She has also raised money for disabled children, worked on environmental initiatives, and done advocacy work.
Driven to create tangible change and empower individuals, Zayna looks forward to working with the World Literacy Foundation with the goal of promoting the cause of literacy as much as she can, both in her local community and worldwide.
About the World Literacy Foundation
The World Literacy Foundation, a leading international literacy nonprofit, aims to eradicate illiteracy by 2034. Currently, 770 million people worldwide can’t read a single word, and a further 2 billion people struggle to read a sentence. In low-income homes, on average, 72% of children struggle to read. Illiteracy can have a lifelong social and economic impact on a young person, but with the collective efforts of organizations like the World Literacy Foundation, we can envision a future where these numbers are significantly reduced.
As a Youth Ambassador, Zayna can develop leadership skills and highlight literacy issues to the broader community.
Further information:
https://worldliteracyfoundation.org/
