Books4Kids Jamaica, a local non-profit organisation, is encouraging children at the basic school level to get excited about reading and writing by promoting a positive educational experience through the provision of books and early-education materials to four-year-olds (K1) and five-year-olds (K2) in preschools.

On October 27, Books4Kids Jamaica, in partnership with Huawei Jamaica, presented bags of reading and writing materials to children at the Faith Tabernacle Basic School, 55A Lyndhurst Road, and Melrose Primary and Junior High School, 3 Little Kew Road.

Each child received a 'Books4Kids book bag' containing one 300-page BrainQuest Workbook, kindergarten reading books, a pack of crayons, and a pencil.

Books4Kids believes in fostering the self-esteem of children growing up in challenging circumstances by introducing them to positive community role models and giving them real, practical resources for continued academic success.

First-time sponsor Huawei supported this year's charity by helping to provide the basic necessities to foster learning.

"We at Huawei believe that improved literacy can contribute to economic growth, reduced poverty and reduced crime, and we feel a deep responsibility to support the community. We are proud to support Books4Kids as it's important to provide children with the resources needed to continue to grow their education. Literacy is one of the most important skills a youth can possess and lays the foundation for a successful future," said Chrysta Walker, marketing manager for Huawei Technologies.

Since its its inception in 2007, Books4Kids has attracted more than 115 international volunteers who have helped provide more than 155,000 books to 43,000 children in more than 130 schools islandwide. Children who participate in the Books4Kids continue to produce excellent results. In 2014, an overall mastery of 91 per cent was measured among 2,627 children at 36 schools who completed the annual Boooks4Kids assessment skill test.