● Four-year collaborative educational partnership will test joint efforts aimed at strengthening educational opportunities for elementary-age Guatemalan children
● Initiative will improve quality of instruction for teachers and tutors.
Portland, OR (November 5, 2019) — . Child Aid, a literacy nonprofit, and Children International, a global humanitarian organization, today announced a joint initiative. It is aimed at improving access to quality education for underserved children in Guatemala.
The Educational Strengthening Initiative will kick off in January 2020. Starting in a school in the department of Chimaltenango (south central), Guatemala. The four-year program brings Child Aid’s proven literacy program into a school where Children International sponsors many of the students. If successful, the pilot program will demonstrate how combining teacher training and a strong curriculum with the individualized care of students helps boost academic achievement.
Both Child Aid and Children International are interested in the education of children. This partnership highlights the strengths of both organizations. Children International gives children in vulnerable communities access to programs focused on health, education and empowerment. Child Aid’s literacy program focuses on the progress and abilities of teachers in the classroom. Ensuring students receive a quality learning experience. Together, the organizations will launch the Educational Strengthening Initiative to make superior education more accessible to students in the program.
“We envision our staffs working together to create opportunities that will improve the educational impact on these at-risk students more broadly than either of our organizations could do alone.” Child Aid CEO Nancy Press said.
The pilot program will train more than 26 teachers and 20 Children International tutors. Impacting more than 600 children in 2020. Teachers will receive individualized coaching, and students will benefit from integrated holistic programs. Child Aid brings a proven ability to measure the efficacy of the Educational Strengthening Initiative. This is an important component of any pilot program hoping to scale beyond this initial first step.
“We are eager to partner with Child Aid to help address school quality, one of the largest barriers in education.” said Susana Eshleman, president and CEO, Children International. “The track record of Child Aid’s teacher training combined with Children International’s longevity in Guatemalan communities make an ideal match. Together, we can help children and teachers in their quest to bring about sustainable change in Tecpan, Guatemala.”
For more information about the Educational Strengthening Initiative and to arrange for media interviews or access to photos or video from the program, please contact Helyn Trickey Bradley, Child Aid public relations manager, at 404-384-4143.
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About Child Aid (www.child-aid.org)
Child Aid is a Portland-based literacy nonprofit. We work to bring comprehensive teacher training and books to elementary-age children in some of the poorest communities in Guatemala. Our organization strives to have a substantial impact on improving primary school education in Guatemala. Also, to provide a model for similar work elsewhere in the world. Our program is certified nationally by the Guatemalan Ministry of Education’s department of Accreditation and Certification. To date, our organization has worked in 153 schools, reaching nearly 67,000 children with transformative education and literacy skills.
About Children International (www.children.org)
In August 2019, Great Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, recognized Children International as one of 15 organizations that serve as “Forces for Change” around the world. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, Children International is a leader in the movement to eradicate poverty, helping more than 200,000 children in 10 countries find a path out of poverty. From toddler to young adulthood, Children International surrounds kids with a caring team, a safe place and a clear path out of poverty through programs focused on health, education, empowerment and employment. Its supporters are inspired as they see children radically change their lives and create a ripple effect that impacts families and communities for generations to come.