The University of Guyana Library, on Monday, July 20, 2026, officially launched its 18th Annual Reading is Fun Programme at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen Campus. The literacy-focused initiative, being hosted in collaboration with Unicomer Guyana through its Courts Optical division, will benefit 95 children between the ages of 7 and 11 from surrounding communities including Sophia, Cummings Lodge, Industry and neighbouring areas. Running until August 7, 2026, this is the largest cohort since the initiative began in 2003.

Delivering her remarks, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin, celebrated the continued growth of the programme, noting that this year’s enrolment is the highest in its history. She thanked Unicomer Guyana and Courts Optical for their steadfast partnership and commitment to supporting literacy and child development over the years. The Vice-Chancellor also expressed appreciation to the parents, guardians and family members who entrusted their children to the University, as well as the staff and volunteers whose dedication continues to make the programme a success.

Acting University Librarian, Dr Simone Bernard, reflected on the programme’s humble beginnings, explaining that it was born from a simple observation that there were children in Sophia who wanted to read, deserved the opportunity to read, but lacked the support to do so. She noted that University staff, students and volunteers came together to respond to that need, creating what has since become one of the University’s most cherished community outreach initiatives.