Rural Education and Development Global

What Rural Education and Development Global does

Rural Education and Development Global (READ Global) is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 by Antonia "Toni" Neubauer. The organization builds and operates a network of 123+ community library and resource centers, branded READ Centers, in rural villages across Nepal, Bhutan, and India. These centers function as integrated community hubs delivering literacy programming, women's empowerment initiatives (including the Tech Age Girls curriculum delivered with IREX), safe-migration education (Diyo Safe Migration), COVID-19 response platforms, and menstrual health programming including sanitary pad social enterprises. READ reports that 2.52 million rural villagers have been served across the network.

READ Global's revenue model is a hybrid of donations, corporate and foundation grants, and a sustaining-enterprise line comprising 70 for-profit village businesses plus commercial partnerships such as the Amazon India sanitary pad collaboration. Named institutional supporters include Humanity United, L'Oreal, Samsung, the Stone Family Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the last of which recognized READ with an Award for Technology-based Access to Learning that catalyzed geographic expansion into Bhutan and India in 2006. READ Global was recognized as a 2025 Library of Congress Successful Practices Honoree, signaling continued international programmatic credibility.

Following the April 2023 passing of founder Antonia Neubauer, Sanjana Shrestha continues as Executive Director, with Tina Sciabica also referenced in executive leadership. The organization operates with a small staff of 11-50 employees spanning the San Francisco headquarters and three-country field operations. Core technical infrastructure is built on basic ICT (computers, internet, mobile, radio) deployed through the Center network; there is no disclosed use of artificial intelligence or machine learning.

Name

Rural Education and Development Global

Legal name

Rural Education and Development Inc.

Website

https://readglobal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

READ Global is a San Francisco-based nonprofit founded in 1991 that operates 123+ community library and resource centers across rural Nepal, Bhutan, and India, serving 2.52 million villagers with literacy, women's empowerment, health, and sustaining-enterprise programming funded by grants, donations, and social enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Education and Community Development Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI), Foundational Reading & Writing Literacy (EDAAAAAA)

Keywords

• Community library services
• Rural education programs
• Women empowerment initiatives
• Literacy training services
• Economic empowerment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations from supporters worldwide, including monthly giving programs and one-time contributions
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Funding from corporate partners like Samsung, Loreal, Humanity United, and foundation partners
3. Sustaining Enterprises: For-profit enterprises launched alongside READ Centers generate profit to support ongoing operating costs, including agricultural and sewing cooperatives and storefront rentals

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Rural Education and Development Global operates a network of community-owned READ Centers that function as library and resource hubs in rural villages across Bhutan, India, and Nepal. Each center delivers literacy and education programs, technology and ICT training, women's empowerment activities, and economic empowerment services such as livelihood skills training, savings cooperatives, and locally launched sustaining enterprises. The organization supplements the centers with standalone initiatives including Tech Age Girls (youth technology leadership) and the Diyo Safe Migration Program.

Product overview

READ Global operates a network of more than 130 READ Centers across Nepal, India, and Bhutan that function as holistic community development platforms. Each Center includes a library, computer room, training hall, AV section, and designated children's and women's sections. The core product is the READ Center network, supplemented by four program modules: Education (literacy and learning), Women's Empowerment (leadership and skills), Technology (ICT access and training), and Economic Empowerment (livelihoods and enterprise). Additional initiatives include COVID-19 Response Platforms, Tech Age Girls (youth technology leadership), and the Diyo Safe Migration Program. The model emphasizes community ownership and sustainable enterprises to support ongoing Center operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tech Age Girls (TAG): An intensive training, mentoring, and networking program that models for society how young female leaders can confidently use their technology expertise and leadership skills to contribute to their community's development.
• COVID-19 Response Platforms

Products and services

• READ Centers Community library and resource centers providing libraries, computer rooms, training halls, AV sections, and specialized children's and women's sections. These centers serve as foundational platforms for unlocking community social and economic potential in rural South Asia.
• Education Program Literacy programs and educational resources for villagers of all ages, including adult literacy classes, children's education, and early childhood education initiatives, delivered through READ Centers.
• Women's Empowerment Program Programs focused on building women's confidence, leadership skills, and economic independence through literacy, skills training, women's groups, savings cooperatives, and community engagement.
• Technology Program Provides free access to computers and internet, ICT training, mobile and radio-based training programs, and sustainable hardware solutions including solar panels for rural communities.
• Economic Empowerment Program Livelihood skills training, small business skills training, sustaining enterprises launched with each READ Center, and savings cooperatives enabling women to save and access loans for entrepreneurship.
• Tech Age Girls (TAG) An intensive training, mentoring, and networking program that models for society how young female leaders can confidently use technology expertise and leadership skills to contribute to community development. Implemented by READ in Nepal and India with 500+ participants in Nepal and 158 in India.
• Diyo Safe Migration Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of villagers surveyed in India and 76% in Nepal increased their income after taking livelihood skills training at a READ Center
• +5 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• IREXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization that developed Tech Age Girls program. READ implements TAG in Nepal and India, reaching hundreds of young female leaders. IREX also provides ICT consulting and technical assistance.
• Library of CongresscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarding body for literacy awards and recognition, including the 2025 Successful Practices Honoree and 2014 Literacy Award
• SVA Nepal (Shanti Volunteer Association)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization supporting READ Nepal operations
• Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumanitarian organization partner supporting READ Global programs
• Book Aid InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing books to support READ Centers' library collections
• Days for GirlsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing reusable menstrual kits. READ Bhutan distributed over 1,500 kits to young women since 2017. READ Centers use these in menstrual health workshops.
• Global Inner PeaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting READ Global programs
• Magic Libraries FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporting library and literacy programs
• Bhutan Cancer SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization in Bhutan
• Beautiful StoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting READ Global programs
• Amazon IndiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting READ India's launch of sanitary pad social enterprises at four READ Centers

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Book Aid International: Existing READ Global partner that provides books to library programs across Africa and the Middle East. Highly comparable operating model around community library sustainability and book distribution in low-resource settings.
• Digital Green: Nonprofit using technology and video to extend agricultural and livelihood training to rural farmers in South Asia. Comparable target population (rural South Asian villagers), technology-enabled training model, and donor/partnership base.
• Pratham: One of India's largest education NGOs operating literacy and vocational programs in rural communities. Highly comparable mission, target population, and sustaining-community-program model, with materially greater scale in India.
• EIFL (Electronic Information for Libraries): Awarding body (IFLA WLIC 2013 Public Library Innovation Award to READ Nepal) that supports library innovation and digital inclusion in developing countries. Operates as both a peer and a network partner in the global library-development space.
• Libraries Without Borders (Bibliothèques Sans Frontières): International nonprofit deploying libraries and cultural programs in underserved communities worldwide. Comparable READ Center infrastructure model focused on access to information, technology, and learning in rural/peri-urban areas.
• Room to Read: International nonprofit focused on literacy and girls' education across Asia and Africa, operating community-based programs with a comparable donor and partnership model. Most direct peer given overlap on literacy, women's empowerment, and country footprint (India, Nepal).

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Corps: Large international development NGO with programs in education, economic recovery, and women's empowerment in conflict-affected and rural areas. Comparable donor base, governance structure, and rural-community focus.
• BRAC: Largest development NGO globally with deep programs in education, women's empowerment, and microfinance across South Asia. Operates at significantly greater scale than READ Global with overlapping rural literacy and livelihood missions.
• CARE International: Large humanitarian organization with programs in women's economic empowerment, education, and rural livelihoods across South Asia. Comparable women's-empowerment and rural-development mission, with materially greater scale.
• IREX: International development organization with programs in education, technology, and youth leadership — including the Tech Age Girls program that READ Global implements. Comparable funder and program-partner ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/READGlobal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/readglobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/READGlobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/read-global
• Instagraminstagram.com/read_global

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rural Education and Development Global