With this project we aim to expand educate.'s network of rural libraries at primary schools throughout the mountain villages of Santa Barbara, Honduras. In remote mountain communities, children are left behind due to a lack of resources. We believe in community-owned and -led libraries as transformative spaces for children to engage in critical and creative learning.
Literacy is a foundational skill for life, and yet four out of five sixth-grade students in Latin America and the Caribbean are not able to read a simple text. The department of Santa Barbara, Honduras - where we are based - has some of the lowest reading scores in the country. We focus our efforts on rural villages in the mountains where schools are most under-resourced. For many children and teachers, educate. libraries are the first time they have access to children's books!
Since 2017, educate. has opened ten libraries across Honduras, reaching 3,000 students. These libraries provide access to quality books to inspire a love of reading, as well as being creative spaces for learning and community engagement. We work hand in hand with local communities to plan each library based on community needs: creating a local library committee, training teachers, painting murals, and tracking impact. All libraries are locally led, ensuring maximum impact and sustainability.
In rural villages deeply affected by poverty, we believe in the power of libraries as spaces of learning, creativity and transformation - especially when local leaders are empowered and trained to take ownership over these spaces. As we work to expand our library network, we know that these spaces will continue to improve literacy skills, educational outcomes, and opportunities for community advancement as a whole.
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