Think Creative - Issue 3

CreativeAssociatesInternational.com | 13 In hard-to-reach schools in remote areas of Afghanistan, young students are holding in their hands their very own books for the first time. These new textbooks are one critical piece of an early grade reading transformation that is helping to rebuild the conflict-affected country and prepare students for a peaceful and successful future. Paving a path to quality education, the five-year Afghan Children Read project has worked closely with the Ministry of Education to design, print and deliver more than half a million teaching and learning materials in Pashto and Dari languages. The books have reached primary students in four provinces: Herat, Kabul, Nangarhar and Laghman. Funded by USAID and led by Creative, Afghan Children Read works to deliver quality education through an evidence-based early grade reading program for grades one to three in formal and community-based schools. Creative implements the program with its partners, the International Rescue Committee, Equal Access and SIL LEAD. Through its collaboration with the Ministry, the project is building a sustainable, scalable and evidence-based national early grade reading curriculum. n “Afghan Children Read creates a safe, positive learning environment where children can learn to read and grow.” - Susan Ayari, Senior Associate, Education in Conflict and Project Director for Afghan Children Read Afghanistan Afghan Children Read Photo by Ali Dariosh Shirzad Program in focus A closer look at Creative’s work in action