Learning
Nearly 40% of children and adults worldwide cannot access education in a language they understand.
Minority language speakers are often forced to use other languages in school and economic activity, leading to frustration, confusion, and missed opportunities. When education begins in a language people don’t yet understand, many are left behind.
Our Approach
We walk alongside communities to remove the language-related barriers that stand in the way of learning. Together, we develop writing systems, literacy tools, and educational materials in the languages people know best, the ones they first spoke at home.
From early-grade classrooms to adult learning programs, our goal is to help communities build a strong foundation for learning that lasts a lifetime. By combining linguistic research, literacy methods, and digital innovation, we help communities design solutions that fit their culture and context, empowering children, youth, and adults to learn with confidence and dignity.
When people learn in their own language, it leads to lifelong impact:
Featured Story
“I Have Become A Child Again!”
Despite lined face and steady gaze, René Epeiyu feels like a child again. What can reinvigorate a man’s mind in such a way? The simple answer—learning. Through adult literacy and education programs in Wayuu, an indigenous language of Colombia, René has learned to read, write, add, subtract and multiply in his own language. “I feel joyful with this learning . . . Just like when I was a child and didn’t understand anything about life, the same happens to me in this process. Little by little, I am remembering the lessons, and that fills me with joy.”
Along with discovering the tools to learn new things, René has also found the inspiration to break old habits and focus on things that enrich his well being. “Furthermore, through faith in God, I have become a child again. I have stopped drinking alcohol . . . Now, I am more focused on my happiness and my studies, which bring me joy.”
