Marianna Ríos
A Colombian social entrepreneur who revolutionized rural education through mobile libraries
Marianna Ríos (b. 1972) transformed education access in Colombia's remote regions through her innovative Bibliomóviles (Mobile Libraries) initiative. Growing up in a conflict-affected area of Antioquia, she witnessed how limited access to books perpetuated cycles of poverty. In 1998, she founded Fundación Lectores del Mundo, which deploys solar-powered bookmobiles to underserved communities. These brightly painted trucks carry 2,000 books each and include digital tablets preloaded with educational apps in Spanish and indigenous languages.
Ríos' model combines mobile libraries with teacher training programs. Her Educación en Ruedas (Education on Wheels) curriculum trains local educators to use interactive storytelling techniques. By 2005, the program reached 120,000 children in 38 municipalities, with studies showing a 40% increase in literacy rates in participating areas. Her 2003 partnership with UNICEF expanded the initiative to Guatemala and Honduras.
In 2001, Ríos pioneered the Casa de los Libros concept - repurposed buses turned into permanent libraries with internet access. These now operate in 15 conflict-affected zones, providing safe spaces for children during armed clashes. Her 2006 book 《Libros en la Nube: Educación para Todos》 details how technology can democratize learning.
Ríos' work inspired Colombia's 2008 National Reading Plan, which adopted her mobile library model nationwide. She received the 2010 UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy, using the funds to launch the Escuela en la Nube - a digital platform providing free courses in 15 languages. Her 2015 documentary 《Ruedas de Saber》 highlights the program's impact through stories of children who became teachers themselves.
Today, the foundation operates in 7 countries, with 80% of graduates entering higher education. Ríos' vision - that every child deserves to 'touch a book and dream big' - continues to redefine rural education across Latin America.