How does the Child Literacy Program work?

Through this program, Beyond Borders provides some of Haiti's most vulnerable children with a solid basic education that is designed to help them improve their own lives and the life of their communities.

Many of these children are restavèk children. Local leaders convince the families that use these children to give them a few hours away from their work each day so that they can participate in the program. Beyond Borders provides a special intensive four-year literacy program for these children.

Other students come from the poorest rural families and would not be able to attend school without our help. These poor rural children are considered at risk for being sent into servitude because they have passed the age at which they could be enrolled in a regular school.

Much of our funding for the Child Literacy Program comes to us through the Partnership of Hope. Individuals, churches, and other groups are partnered with particular literacy centers. They provide $200 per month, which covers the cost of running a center, including books and other teaching materials, teacher salaries and training, and most of the administrative expenses of managing the program.

Beyond Borders also funds training for teachers in this program each year. Most of this training takes place during the summer vacation months but can also take place during the year through in-service support.

The Child Literacy Program works in close cooperation with our Campaign to End Child Servitude in Haiti. Click here to learn more about this effort.