Inclusive Reading & Arts Festival

The Reading Factory

Behind this movement for change is Saraswati Arthur (Cohort 1), founder of The Reading Factory,  who believes in the power of inclusion. For Saraswati, this belief took shape through the 2025 Inclusive Reading and Arts Festival, a program she coordinated with heart, vision, and collaboration.

The festival brought together educators, students, and communities to celebrate learning without barriers. Tolon in the Northern Region and Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira in the Central Region were the districts selected from ten proposals across Ghana to host the festival.

In Tolon, the event marked International Literacy Day under the theme “Promoting Literacy in the Digital Era.” District Director of Education Alhaji Alhassan Sumani emphasized the role of technology in inclusive teaching, while children from 25 schools, including the Savelugu School for the Deaf, showed that creativity knows no limits. 

“Disability is not an inability,” shared Mr. Obeng, Director of Public Health, inspired by the students’ performances.

In Twifo Hemang, the festival, chaired by Nana Adwoa Obeng Asor II- Queen Mother of Twifuman, was held under the theme “Igniting the Spirit of Inclusivity in Enhancing Foundational Learning.” The celebration was more than an event; it was a message of unity, hope, and access. Teachers also received training on differentiated learning pedagogy, led by Disability Lens, equipping them to make classrooms more inclusive and responsive to all learners.

Through Saraswati’s coordination, the festival became a living example of what inclusive education can achieve when communities, educators, and leaders work hand in hand. 

From Tolon to Twifo Hemang, over 370 students, teachers, and parents came together to affirm one truth: every child deserves the chance to learn, create, and thrive. 

The festival reminded everyone what’s possible when communities come together for children. Through Saraswati’s efforts, including the support of Women Changemakers for Education, the event became a reminder that every child deserves the chance to learn, express, and be included.