On Romanian Language Day, 35,000 illustrated children’s books will be distributed to all kindergartens across the country through OvidiuRO and UiPath Foundation.
On Romanian Language Day, celebrated in Romania and in the Republic of Moldova on August 31st, OvidiuRO, in partnership with UiPath Foundation, is donating 35,000 copies of the book 'Luna-Betiluna si Dora-Minodora in Tara lui Peste-Mamaliga-Prapadeste' to all preschool teachers in the country, with the support of the Ministry of Education through the County School Inspectorates.
The book, written and illustrated by Anamaria Smigelschi, has been captivating generations of readers since it was first published in the 1970s and has been reissued multiple times by various publishers. The adventure of the two doll sisters unfolds in the world of waters, providing children with playful names for fish and other aquatic animals: the crab Dănilă, the frogs Caraoac and Carachioi, Peste-Mamaliga-Prapadeste, the ruler of the fish kingdom. The text is rhythmic, easy to remember, and beloved by children.
Furthermore, thanks to UiPath Foundation, through an extended partnership with NABU, the book ‘Luna-Betiluna si Dora-Minodora in tara lui Peste-Mamaliga-Prapadeste’ will also be available in digital format, reaching even more children.
NABU is a free reading app that can be used in areas with poor internet connectivity, designed for children aged two to ten, simple to use, and providing access to books in multiple languages, organized by different reading fluency levels.
The partnership between UiPath Foundation, NABU, and OvidiuRO aims to provide the most vulnerable children and their families with access to literature from a young age and exposure to values such as diversity and inclusion through specially created and selected books.
We have set a goal to reach all public kindergartens in Romania with reading and nature islands by 2025, where children and adults can decipher the mysteries of books and the universe together. Now, in less than two years, we have reached the halfway point. In disadvantaged communities where poverty hinders children’s development, an affordable digital reading application, featuring curated stories from all over the world, could make a difference, both for teachers lacking sufficient resources and parents who cannot afford to buy books for their children.
MARIA GHEORGHIU,
CO-FOUNDER ASOCIATIA OVIDIURO
Children from impoverished families do not have easy access to books. Often, parents prioritize other basic expenses such as food and clothing over books. As a result, children grow up without books and stories, leading to a challenging start in life and literacy gaps compared to children who have been exposed to reading from a young age. That’s why we have partnered with NABU and OvidiuRO to make books accessible to all children, regardless of their background. Studies show that at the beginning of 2022, there were approximately 16.8 million internet users in Romania, with a penetration rate of 88% of the total population. This leads us to believe that NABU is a tool that will prove very useful in facilitating access to books for as many children as possible in Romania.
RALUCA NEGULESCU-BALACI,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UIPATH FOUNDATION
Our vision is to provide equitable access to literacy by 2030 so that every child can read and reach their full potential. With a mission as bold and ambitious as ours, we strive to reach as many people as possible, especially in communities with the greatest needs. Alongside our partners, OvidiuRO and UiPath Foundation, we aspire to help the most vulnerable children and their families have access to literature from a young age, and we hope to instill values such as diversity and inclusion through specially created children’s books.
TANYELLA EVANS,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NABU
The NABU app provides access to books in Romanian, English, and Ukrainian, both on mobile phones and tablets (Android and iOS). It works even with a slow internet connection and can be used offline as it allows users to download books to their device. For Android phones and tablets, you can download the NABU app from HERE, and for IOS from HERE.
UiPath Foundation is one of the strategic partners of OvidiuRO, supporting access to quality early education for children in disadvantaged communities through book donations, workshops, and teacher training. During the 2021-2022 school year, through the ‘Every Child Deserves a Story’ program, over 35,000 children benefited from reading sessions, and more than 24,000 illustrated books reached kindergartens and vulnerable families in the counties of Botoșani, Galați, Olt, and Vaslui. This year, the partnership is expanding with the resources of NABU, promoted with the help of OvidiuRO teachers and ambassadors, so that children have access to even more stories, beyond the reading islands in kindergartens.
