Story of Liliana Rodolao, WLR Ambassador in Argentina
My name is Liliana Rodolao and I’m from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I found out about the We Love Reading initiative thanks to my son’s teacher, Cristina. She asked her students to look for information about Rana Dajani because they were going to talk about her in the classroom. Helping my son with his homework made me learn about Rana Dajani and left me astonished with her amazing initiative to make children not just read, but love reading. I think that this initiative is a great way to instill the love of reading in children. When I found out about We Love Reading I was very excited about their goals and mission to promote reading for pleasure among children. I contacted We Love Reading asking if Rana could record a video for my son Gabriel, his friends and teacher. Rana was of course more than happy to do that and it was just incredible. My son, his friends and teacher saw the video and they were very happy and touched by it. I stayed in touch with the great people at We Love Reading office and they gave me additional information about the program and how I can support it. I received materials in Spanish which helped me spread the message among my family and friends. It is just incredible that the We Love Reading program manages to spread the love of reading among kids even in the age of technology where people look for entertainment other than reading. We stayed in contact with Rana and now we are planning to open a new We Love Reading library here. I will be delighted and proud to be a part of the movement and it will be an honor for me to spread the love of reading among children.
Story of Marcela, WLR Ambassador in Argentina
I have been working in the Honorary Consulate of Jordan in Buenos Aires, Argentina for the last 12 years. I look for different news and info trying to promote tourism and foreign trade. One day, I came across the name of Dr. Rana Dajani and I started to read about the program. People started inquiring for information about the program and I decided to contact Dr. Dajani. In Argentina, we have widespread problems with drugs, violence, and robbery, and we get many messages that you have to be rich to become somebody or girls think that they need to rely on their outer beauty. I can draw from my experience. I have an 18-year-old daughter I used to read to and she became a reading lover. Now, she is a successful student with strong analytical skills. But most importantly, she has a voice and she uses it! That’s the reason why I believe in the importance of reading for early childhood development. I held my first reading session in a public school for fourth graders. They were around 9 years old. The children were crazy at first but when I started to read, they all became quiet. It was magic! Their teacher could not believe their reaction! I’m going to be reading in schools to increase the impact. I will also have a meeting with Syrian refugees who are a part of a government program to start the idea with them. Finally, I’m contacting a local bookshop to start reading in the bookshop to work on gaining parents’ trust. Marcela believes that reading will be the way to change the Argentinian children’s present and future.
“It is just incredible that the We Love Reading initiative manages to spread the love of reading among kids, even in the age of technology where people look for entertainment other than reading.”
Liliana Rodolao, We Love Reading ambassador in Argentina