Social value of a volunteer-created international reading comprehension program for Peruvian schoolgirls from disadvantaged backgrounds

Achieving equity in women’s literacy requires tackling specific difficulties through inclusive strategies that promote access, retention, and participation, thereby generating a positive social impact. This research examines the social value created by the international online volunteering program Aprendiendo Contigo (Learning with You), which provided reading comprehension support to a group of disadvantaged schoolgirls in Arequipa (Peru). In 2021, 82 volunteers participated, supporting 120 girls aged 7–17. The methodology combines a case study approach with a social return on investment (SROI) evaluation of social value. The findings allow for the identification and classification of outcomes generated by the program for each stakeholder, particularly improved access to learning for girls and adolescent students confined in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program fostered collaborative initiatives between the educational centre and the non-governmental organisation. This paper contributes to the limited literature on socio-educational experiences in the analysis of social value.