Read for a Good Cause
Spread self-help book resources online for free, fostering a reading habit that can help lift children and youth out of mediocrity and poverty!
Unlock the Life-Changing Power of Self-Education!
Guide, mentor, and champion students with top self-improvement book projects to help build a strong mindset, a positive attitude, and develop life-changing habits.
1. The Why
Millions of children and teens in developing countries lack access to the most transformative books. Our goal is to provide self-help book resources online for free, fostering a reading habit that can help lift them out of poverty.
Granted we can't reach everyone but we can still make a meaningful difference in the lives of many!
Self-Help books offer valuable life skills, personal growth strategies, and mental health support often overlooked in traditional education. These books can provide early guidance, boost confidence, and foster a mindset of continuous learning and personal development.
When you upgrade to a paid subscription to The Daily Reading Habit Newsletter, you help us expand our reach to parents, teachers, and mentors worldwide who want to make a difference. Perhaps that might even be you.
Your support enables us to deliver content from the best self-help books to children and teens for free.
Instead of collecting, packing, sorting, and shipping physical books around the world, we are embracing a more efficient approach. You can help us fund an online program that spreads self-help book concepts and challenges that children and teens apply to improve their lives.
This digital solution allows us to reach more young people, overcome geographical barriers, and strive to inspire positive change on a global scale.
2. My Deepest Hope
My dream is a world where every student, regardless of their circumstances, has access to the transformative power of self-help books.
Reading Cultivates a Strong Mindset, Creativity, and Empathy
By diving into diverse practical concepts, readers expand their horizons and imagine new possibilities. It deepens understanding and compassion for different perspectives.
Self-Help Books Provide Practical Skills Often Missing from Traditional Education
Self-help books sometimes fill the gap left by traditional education with subjects that schools are not able to teach. They provide actionable advice on personal development, emotional intelligence, and effective communication. These books lead to real-world applications.
Self-Education Through Self-Help Books is a Powerful Catalyst for Drive and Ambition
They motivate individuals to set and achieve ambitious goals. By internalizing these principles, readers propel themselves to pursue their dreams.
In the Age of AI, Soft Skills Matter More Than Ever
Self-help books guide the development of communication, leadership, and adaptability. These skills keep individuals relevant and effective in an automated world.
3. The Idea Behind the “Read for a Good Cause”
This is my story!
Growing up in a small town in Mindanao, the Philippines, now known as Pagadian City, I experienced firsthand the power of books.
My childhood was marked by a scarcity of reading materials, with only a handful of books available in our public school. Our books were in the Cebuano dialect. I didn’t start reading English until I was in 3rd grade. This scarcity, however, set the stage for a series of encounters with good books.
In 1969 just a month before I turned nine, during a family visit to Davao City, my uncle gifted me my first English book, "What Happened at Midnight." The only reason he had such a book was because he was half-American, born to an Irish-American father, and to a Filipina mother.
This thrilling tale of the Hardy Boys, popular teen detectives, opened my eyes to the captivating world of storytelling in a new language, sparking a curiosity that would shape my future.
A few years later in 1973, when I was around thirteen, our family received an unexpected gift from American friends - two books that would profoundly impact my life: "Spiritual Roots of Human Relations" by Stephen R. Covey and "How to Win Friends & Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.
I should have never gotten those books. Yet for some miraculous purpose they did. There were no libraries in our town and foreigners should not be in such a remote area unless they were missionaries. These self-help classics ignited a passion for personal development and turned me into an avid reader.
The principles and insights gleaned from these books became the foundation for my personal and professional growth. Applying their teachings, I found the determination to overcome poverty, build a successful corporate career, and embrace a habit of lifelong learning.
These seemingly simple acts of generosity - the gift of books - set me on a path of continuous self-improvement and success until today decades later.
My journey from a child with little access to books in a small town to a successful professional is a testament to the life-changing potential of access to knowledge and the power of applying that knowledge in one's life.
While I wish I could gift children, teens, and young adults with physical books across the world, the logistics of collecting, packing, and shipping pose significant challenges in terms of distance, time, and cost. In lieu of that, I'm excited to share the next best thing to students, digital self-help book projects.
I'm paying forward, honoring those who inspired my love of reading and lifelong learning. Together, we can help extend the gift of self-education to the top 10%–30% of students who are smart, hardworking, and eager to learn but may not have access to these resources.
Please join me in this worthy endeavor.
Read if you are curious how to improve on yourself and make a difference at the same time!
4. Read for a Good Cause
Reading is a Fundamental Skill for Lifelong Learning
The One Minute Daily Reading Habit is a school-based program designed to introduce students to the power of the best self-help books to inspire and motivate!
The goal is to help students become continuous learners by developing a daily reading habit starting for just one minute until the habit is formed.
The idea of using “one minute” is to make reading and learning appear short and easy, especially for beginning readers.
However, one minute is just the start — your student can begin and end with as much time as they want.
The One Minute Reading program is symbolic to the student’s quest to daily regular study and learning towards enriching one’s mindset, attitude, and habits.
Students get introduced to the self-education movement through the schools.
We offer free book projects tailored to students in elementary, high school, and college namely:
1 “How to Win Friends & Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
2 “Emotional Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman
3 “Slight Edge” by Jeff Olson
4 “Mindset” by Carol Dweck
When you upgrade to a paid subscription you automatically support the “Read for a Good Cause” program.
You can be a guide, mentor, or champion, and use our free resources to empower students anywhere in the world!
— Randy F. Rubio | Salt Lake City, Utah
