Dubai student leads drive to send 107kg of storybooks to Philippines

Rachel Jasmine Dias, a 10-year-old Dubai student, leads the Books for All initiative. SUPPLIED

What started as a single box of donated books has grown into a cross-border literacy effort led by a 10-year-old student in Dubai, with 107kg of storybooks now collected for children in the Philippines. Rachel Jasmina Dias, founder of the Rachel Foundation and a Year 6 student, launched the “Books for All” initiative to make reading more accessible to children who have limited access to books. “The Rachel Foundation’s ‘Books for All’ started because I believe that every kid should have books just like me and get to love reading,” Rachel told Expat Media. The Philippines was chosen as the project’s focus due to the need for more reading materials in schools, supported by partnerships with educators on the ground. Rachel said a connection through her mother led to collaboration with Philippine Normal University and its literacy programme. “With their help and the Department of Education’s Reading Literacy Program, we can make sure all the books we collect actually get to the kids who need them the most,” she said. The initiative has drawn support from schools, friends, and community members in the UAE. Donations have come from classmates, neighbours, and even swimming teammates, with schools such as Shining Stars International School in Abu Dhabi joining the effort. “Our Books for All adventure started with just one box of books—but it was super exciting,” Rachel said. “Every book shows how much we can do when we work together.” She added that the project is driven not only by numbers, but by the idea of children receiving and enjoying the books. “It’s about all the love and happiness behind each book, and thinking about kids in the Philippines opening them and smiling,” she said. The collected books will be shipped to the Philippines once the target of 500kg is reached. They will be received by Vicky Delos Santos, Practice Teaching Coordinator at Philippine Normal University, and integrated into literacy programmes, with some books also allocated to a community centre. Rachel said the goal is to help children build reading habits and confidence. “Children will develop a love for reading, improve their language and literacy skills, and gain confidence in expressing themselves,” she said. With 393kg still needed to reach the target, Rachel and her team plan to expand outreach efforts by encouraging more schools and communities to participate. “People can help, too, by giving new or gently used books or just telling your friends and family about our project,” she said. “Every single book gets us closer to making kids in the Philippines super happy and excited to read.” Rachel’s mother, Remediana, supports the initiative as part of the family’s wider involvement in community work. “I am incredibly proud of my daughter’s initiative and I am happy to help,” she said. Rachel plans to continue the initiative beyond the current campaign, with the aim of setting up a children’s library and organising literacy programmes in the Philippines. She said she hopes to visit in December 2026 to meet students who will benefit from the project. Reach out to Rachel via instagram.com/rachelfoundation. PIA/Expat Media

---

For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page