Sri Lankan Team with children from the charity ‘Room to Read’

The ICC piloted a partnership with the educational non-profit Room to Read during the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 and the success of this initiative convinced both parties to extend the relationship through to 2015. Room to Read works to One of the early fruits of this partnership, has been the development of local language cricket books to promote literacy, the first of which features local star Angelo Mathews.

The book titled, Little Angelo’s Big Day in Cricket, is available in both Sinhalese and Tamil and will be distributed to youngsters throughout Sri Lanka as part of the ICC World Twenty 20’s commitment to the local community. In India, Virat Kohli has taken a stand as the brand ambassador for Room to Read and stars in a children’s book titled Virat’s Inning. The book will be published in Hindi and Telugu with the vision to inculcate the love of reading amongst the next generation of learners.

Room to Read’s ambition to promote literacy and girls’ education has resonated with many of cricket’s leading players and they have now been involved in awareness-raising activities during the tournament. Room to Read beneficiaries from the Dharmaloka Kanishta Vidyalaya in the Monaragala district were treated to a hands-on coaching session by Sri Lankan cricket team players such as Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga and Sangakara. This was group of 10 boys who are a part of the school cricket team and were chosen to participate in this unique interaction that involved batting, bowling and fielding practice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka speaks to the young boys from the charity “Room to Read” during the Room to Read CSR activity at the ICC World Twenty20 Cup 2012 on September 18, 2012 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka gives advice to young boys from the charity “Room to Read” during the Room to Read CSR activity at the ICC World Twenty20 Cup 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graham Ford of Sri Lanka watches over and gives advice to a young boy from the charity “Room to Read” during the Room to Read CSR activity at the ICC World Twenty20 Cup 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Champaka Ramanayake, Akila Dhananjaya, Ruwan Kalpage, Charith Senanayake, Graham Ford and Rangana Herath of Sri Lanka pose for a picture with children from the charity “Room to Read” during the Room to Read CSR activity at the ICC World Twenty20 Cup 2012 on September 18, 2012 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

(Photo by Christopher Lee-ICC/ICC via Getty Images) 2012 ICC