2014 ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION

How to Conduct a Community Assessment for Education Projects

Past RI President Bill Boyd, New Zealand Moderator

The Panel

Past RI Director Noraseth Pathmanand, ThailandPresident, LitRAG

Rotarian Amy Matusek, USASouns Projects-USA and South Africa

774 MILLIONilliterate

ADULT>15 years old

123 MILLIONilliterate

YOUTH15-24 years old

THERE ARE

2/373 MILLIONare female

2/3493 MILLIONare women

THERE ARE

Concentrated Language Encounter (CLE)Noraseth Pathmanand

WHERE DO THEY LIVE?54 million of the 76 million illiterate young women live in only 9 countries

WHO WILL BE ILLITERATE IN THE FUTURE?

57 MILLIONout-of-school children

1 in 2live in sub-Saharan Africa

will never entera classroom

have dropped outor will start late

1/2

1/2

GLOBALLY250 MILLIONchildren of primary school age, whether they are in schoolor not, lack basic reading and writing skills.*

*Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2012

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THEM?

INEQUALITY

UNFULFILLED INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL AND A LIMITED ABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELL-BEING OF THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

POVERTY UNSTABLE, POORLYPAID JOBS

REPORTED BY UNESCO

THREE LITERACY LEVELS

FUNCTIONAL LITERACY LEVEL

BASIC LITERACY LEVEL

COMPUTER LITERACY LEVEL

CLEConcentrated Language Encounter

Lighthouse Strategy

ROLE AND ACTIVITIES OF LITRAG

CLE TRAINING FOR EGYPT IN BANGKOK

TO BE SUCCESSFUL

GOVERNMENT

SCHOOLS ROTARY

SUPPORTS

CLE PILOT PROJECT IN LIBERIA

VISIT US

BOOTH 108

www.litrag.org

Souns projects:building basic literacy in preschools(Lessons learned through 2 MG’s and 3 GG’s)Amy Matusek

• One visit and we could see…

– Literacy was clearly a need. • We made sure the community wished to be

helped.• We worked with the community to make a

plan.• We confirmed available talents and

resources.

Identify

These children were hungry to learn!

Contact made! Like minded souls!

Projects build community

• Engage the community…

–We spent a great deal of time sharing with:

• Rotarians in possible partnering districts• Community leadership in host site• Project participants in international and

host site

Engage

NGO’s were desired partners and guardians for our projects

US Peace Corps and Rotary in South Africa discuss project

Rotary and Head Start leadership in Puerto Rico presenting project

Social get-togethers in community to share project

• Empowering the community…

–We embraced and trained the community.

–We included new advocates as they demonstrated interest in the project.

– The project was expanded through initiatives within the community by the community.

Empower

Peace Corps volunteer, “My tools to change the world!”

Simple programs can reach far into a population,

….or excite dedicated teachers who want to make a difference,

…and build an attitude of “I can do this!” for a generation.

• Sharing results of the project…

– We visited project sites often…

• Celebrating progress • Assisting with issues• Collecting data and taking pictures to share

with participating Rotary clubs • Sending images and short stories to local

publications• Presenting the project whenever possible

Share

The Rotarian, August 2011, “Where Angels Tread”

4-year-olds in South Africa building words in home language

Head Start children in USA building words by listening to sounds

“May I read to you?” a child in South Africa asks Rotarian R. Jones

She read a message we wrote!

• Sustain, sustain, sustain…

–We trained teachers and trainers of teachers.

• Project resulted in a body of trained teachers• Well chosen NGO organizations benefited by

adding this program to their offerings• At end of project the work continues with

materials, teachers, and teacher trainers in place.

Sustain

Training teachers

Training teacher-trainers…

Children training teachers….really!

• Replicate….–  Souns is a program that can be used in

all languages that use the Latin Alphabet

– There are no expendables, so the materials provide tools for subsequent years.

– The program is simple to use for teachers or caregivers.

– A trained population ensures project can expand its reach within community.

Replicate

There is a better tomorrow for these children! “Thank you, Rotarians!”