Publication

This report is a brief introduction to the Republic of the Marshall Islands Book Supply Chain, focusing for practical reasons on the National capital, Majuro. The initiative began through the lens of human rights and particularly a child’s right to literacy in a language they understand. It was sparked by the lack of children’s books in the Marshall Islands. In fact, more than 90 percent of children in the RMI age 0 to 59 months live in a household with less than 3 children’s books (UNICEF, 2017). The very first Marshallese orthography was developed in tandem with the first Marshallese version of the bible in the late 1800s by missionaries. In 2021, the most accessible Marshallese reading materials is still the Marshallese version of the bible. Let us give thanks to God and Iroj for this time together. 

This Supply Chain Analysis (SCA) was carried out on behalf of The World Bank’s Read at the rate home initiative by the Blue Tree Group. Read at the Home supports the delivery of quality reading books to hard-to-reach homes, as quickly and efficiently as possible, and encourages parents and others to support children’s learning at home. Poor access to teaching and learning materials (TLM; including textbooks, teacher’s guides, and reading books) across the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) makes it difficult for children to learn. This study was commissioned to identify the main bottlenecks in the RMI book supply chain (BSC) and recommend strategies to ensure timely access to quality and affordable materials.