Think Creative - Issue 4

CreativeAssociatesInternational.com | 9 Pakistan // Pakistan Reading Project m Citizen Security Crime and Violence Prevention Project The USAID-funded Crime and Violence Prevention Project in El Salvador has helped communities revitalize public spaces, including parks, playgrounds, community centers and sports fields. These 41 reclaimed and restored areas will benefit more than 136,000 people in seven municipalities. m Education Afghan Children Read Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education launched its first early grade reading policy with support from the USAID- funded Afghan Children Read project. The project continues to work with the Ministry to research key topics like time on task and national language mapping. Ethiopia READ II To help internally displaced kids return to school, the USAID-funded READ II program provided school and recreational materials to 147,731 children uprooted by conflict and disaster. According to their parents, the supplies restored a small sense of normalcy for these students. m Elections Network of Electoral Violence Forecasters Creative’s Senior Electoral Advisor Jeff Fischer is leading a network of experts forecasting electoral violence risks globally. Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau for Conflict and Stabilization Operations, this prediction market of experts will provide insight that can inform risk mitigation and promote peaceful elections. Field Notes The ability to read and write opens doors for education, employment and more. Through the work of the USAID-funded Pakistan Reading Project and its university and government partners, students entering grade 3 are reading better than ever. Explore the chart to see the gains in reading fluency measured against the standard of 60 words per minute. The 2013 group did not participate in project interventions. The 2017 group, which did participate, performed markedly better. This progress in fluency is a result of initiatives to improve classroom environments and instruction, change national-level policies and provide new materials for teachers and students. With each word gained, these learners are building literacy skills for a better life. The project is implemented by the International Rescue Committee in partnership with Creative, World Learning and the Institute of Rural Management. n This course is one component of Aprendo y Emprendo’s overall effort to improve the quality of and access to technical education and vocational training for at-risk youth in Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast region, which sees higher levels of poverty, violence and unem- ployment than the rest of the country. The pro- gramwill not only provide 1,000 scholarships to youth, but is also working with training pro- grams and education institutions to strengthen their course offerings, curricula and operations to the benefit of their students. Coursework is tailored to the demands of poten- tial employers, including both technical skills and soft skills that prepare students for careers. Project Employability Specialist Luis Gerardo Bravo says that in addition to the food and beverage certification on Little Corn Island, other courses are in the works that utilize online platforms. “At-risk youth will be receiving more oppor- tunities for online training, including a new technical course in sales,” he says. “Technol- ogy is also used to promote scholarships, and WhatsApp groups are created for participants to interact, share their concerns and have ques- tions answered.” For student Annia Reyes, 23, Smith’s course is the first time she has explored the internet aside from social networks. Now, she plans to use her $2 weekly data plan on her cell phone to find other opportunities and continue learning. “Once they explained how to use the online platform, it was easy,” she says. “Before, I only used the internet to be on social media. Now with the course, I’m preparing myself better for my future.” n With editing by Evelyn Rupert. Lifting literacy, one word at a time 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Grade 3 Oral Reading Fluency by Region PRP Intervention Districts, 2013 & 2017 n PRP Average n Sindh-Urdu n Khyber Pakhtunkhwa n Sindh-Sindhi n Azad Jammu & Kashmir n Balochistan n Gilgit-Baltistan n Islamabad 2017 mean oral reading fluency 2013 mean oral reading fluency Words Per Minute Infographic by Amanda Smallwood