A Dubai Cares delegation has recently conducted a monitoring and evaluation trip to Sri Lanka to assess the impact of the organization's Literacy Boost program in the country. Implemented in partnership with Save the Children, the program covers 40 schools across the Killinochchi and Mulathivu districts in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.
Over the past three years, Dubai Cares has invested approximately AED 3.4 million (USD 930,000) in the program, reaching over 8,500 children in some of the most underdeveloped districts of Sri Lanka. Through the Literacy Boost program, Dubai Cares and Save the Children laid the foundations for a culture that promotes knowledge-based skills.
Highlighting the progress of the program so far, Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares said: "Sri Lanka is a country on the rise and there is a strong commitment to progress by the country's leadership and people. The country has an opportunity to change course and boost its productivity by ensuring that the new generation takes advantage of the opportunities for social, professional and financial development. The skills to read, write and count are the first step in this path, and through Dubai Cares Literacy Boost program, we are paving the way for a sustainable future through education."
The Literacy Boost program funded by Dubai Cares and implemented by Save the Children continues to contribute to this movement, especially in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka where there is a critical need to improve the quality of learning outcomes. The program revolves around three main pillars: Building the capacity of teachers, school administrators and government, assessing the current literacy levels of students; working with the community to promote reading and language development.
"The program is showing real change in the intervention areas, helping teachers, parents and children foster skills that will be helpful in the long-run. With the program coming to the end of its pilot phase, we look forward to its continued success as the trained government authorities, teachers and local community, are now equipped and motivated to embed and sustain its activities." concluded Al Gurg.
Literacy has played a significant role in Dubai Cares' interventions in Sri Lanka – the organization previously supported the establishment of 100 libraries and the publishing of three local language titles, of which 98,000 copies have been printed and distributed.
Over the past seven years, Dubai Cares, with the support of the UAE community, has been facilitating change and development in children's education in developing communities around the globe. Dubai Cares programs are currently reaching 14 million beneficiaries in 39 developing countries.