Community Focus
We partner directly with blind schools and NGOs, building what learners actually ask for rather than what we assume they need.
About
Knowledge should be open to everyone
We believe knowledge should be open to everyone, not limited by barriers.
Yet for millions of people who are blind or visually impaired, crucial resources in fields like economics and financial literacy are still hard to access. The World Health Organization estimates there to be 45 million fully blind individuals worldwide, of whom the World Blind Union believes up to 90% do not receive adequate education and are unable to attend school. To compound the problem, most articles, reports, and commentaries are published in text-heavy formats, often overlooking how people who cannot see the page can engage with the ideas inside. Only about 1% of all learning materials worldwide are printed in accessible formats like Braille. This creates a major gap in access to information that influences daily decisions, financial independence, and participation in important economic discussions.
45M
People worldwide who are fully blind
90%
Estimated share without adequate education
~1%
Of learning materials published in accessible formats
EconReads was founded to help close that gap. Our mission is to make economics, finance, and current affairs accessible through high-quality audio recordings, giving visually impaired learners and readers an equal chance to engage with the world of ideas. We believe economics is not just for classrooms or professionals - it affects everyone's life, ranging all the way from managing personal budgets to understanding how global events impact local communities.
What we do
EconReads transforms existing articles into clear, engaging audio recordings. These recordings are hosted on our website, organized by topic, and always include a link to the original source so listeners can explore further if they wish.
Additionally, we operate offline and on the ground as well. This includes fundraisers, collaborations with schools for the blind and NGOs, awareness campaigns to make the general public more aware of the challenges faced by visually impaired individuals in their daily lives, as well as liaising with public representatives to discuss longer-term policy solutions to the issues we have identified and aim to address.
Our work goes beyond short-term fixes. Rather, we aim to develop sustainable, long-term solutions that can meaningfully improve the quality of life and opportunities available to visually impaired individuals.
Why economics and financial literacy?
Economics may seem abstract or technical, but at its core, it's about choices, resources, and how people live their lives. From budgeting personal savings to understanding how inflation impacts grocery prices, economics affects everyone. For visually impaired individuals, limited access to this knowledge can mean being excluded from conversations that directly shape their well-being and opportunities. By focusing on economics and financial literacy, EconReads aims to empower listeners with practical skills and insights that directly impact their independence and participation in society.
Our vision
We imagine a world where information is accessible to all, regardless of physical barriers. EconReads is just the first step in that direction. Over time, we plan to grow our library, involve more volunteers, partner with publishers, and even create original content tailored for accessible economic education. Our long-term goal is to become a global hub for accessible economics learning, where anyone - sighted or visually impaired - can come to learn, grow, and engage with the world around them.
Why it matters
Accessibility is not just about technology, but inclusion, dignity, and access to opportunities. With the translation of written news stories to audio, EconReads goes much beyond providing audio files. We are opening the doors to debate, argument, and decision-making that shapes the future for everyone. All these recordings are an affirmation that information is a right, not a privilege, and financial education need not remain the exclusive preserve of the few.
How this site is built
This website is itself part of the mission. It ships with a built-in read-aloud tool that is on by default, works with your own screen reader, is fully keyboard operable, and meets WCAG contrast standards. Accessibility is the headline feature here, not a compliance checkbox.
From the founder
How EconReads started
Advik
Founder, EconReads
Advik is a rising senior at Dubai College with a passion for Economics and Political Science. Outside the classroom, he pursues these interests as a member of the UAE National Debating Team and an Octofinalist at the World Championships, as well as a Bronze Medalist at the International Economics Olympiad, and a two-time published economics researcher, among many other distinctions.
"I will not stop until we live in a world where accessible education empowers every visually impaired learner to learn independently, pursue their ambitions, and thrive with confidence."
Why I started EconReads
My motivation for founding EconReads stems from my very own personal experience. Four years ago, I met a visually impaired relative who had built a career in banking despite the barriers that inaccessible information and technology presented. Seeing firsthand how much determination was required to navigate systems that were often not designed with visually impaired people in mind made me increasingly aware of the gap between having access to education and being able to access it independently. This experience is what ultimately inspired me to create EconReads, with the aim of making economics, finance, and educational resources more accessible to visually impaired learners.
Where EconReads is today
Since its founding, EconReads has grown into a community-driven initiative, mobilizing a team of 20+ volunteers and raising thousands of dollars for accessibility initiatives. Its work has been featured in the press and has reached 24,000+ visually impaired learners worldwide through its resources and outreach. We are going to continue to expand EconReads through partnerships with schools, NGOs, and policymakers, working toward lasting improvements in accessible education.
24,000+
Students impacted worldwide
9
Affiliated blind schools & NGOs
$3,500
Raised for visually impaired students
What guides us
Educational Growth
Economics and personal finance decide real outcomes. We make that knowledge reachable without a paywall or a sighted intermediary.
Inclusive Learning
Every lesson is audio-first and screen-reader native, so the experience is designed for our learners instead of retrofitted for them.
Work with us
If you run a blind school or NGO, or you'd like to support what we're building, we'd love to hear from you.