About The Indigenous Literacy Project

The Indigenous Literacy Project (ILP) is a partnership between The Australian Book Industry and The Fred Hollows Foundation.

Working closely with The Australian Booksellers Association and The Australian Publishers Association, The Fred Hollows Foundation purchases and supplies books and other culturally appropriate learning materials to remote communities. Communities select and order reading material from catalogues and sample books provided by The Australian Booksellers Association. The Fred Hollows Foundation staff also identify other literacy needs. The books are then supplied to schools, libraries, early learning centres such as crèches, women's centres and other identified institutions, to enhance their pool of literacy resources.

The project's core aim and objectives

To raise literacy levels and thus improve the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Australians living in remote and isolated regions.
To raise awareness of literacy issues within the Australian community.
To raise funds to equip Indigenous Australians living in remote communities with books and the support they need to become literate.

The project's major fundraising effort in 2010 is Indigenous Literacy Day on Wednesday 1 September 2010.

History

The Indigenous Literacy Project first began in 2004 when Suzy Wilson, the owner of Riverbend Books in Queensland, set up the Riverbend Readers’ Challenge in partnership with The Fred Hollows Foundation and Ian Thorpe’s Foundation for Youth Trust, to raise money for Indigenous literacy. Wanting to help people in remote Indigenous communities where there is little access to books and where children often grow up with little or no ability to read, Suzy Wilson posed the question, ‘Can you imagine a world without books or reading?'