Literacy Project ~ Debe
For the second year, Soroptimist International Esperance has marked the International Day of Education which was proclaimed by The United Nations General Assembly in 2019 in celebration of the role of education in peace and development. A much needed laptop computer was presented to Debe Presbyterian Primary School for the use of the school administration and well as the teachers and pupils. Also provided was a variety of school supplies. The aim was to empower the school to enable them to deliver a quality education to the children.
Education is the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4, and Soroptimists structure their projects to fall in line with those goals and with the United Nations ‘4Ps.’
“The 2020 celebration will position education and the learning it enables as humanity’s greatest renewable resource and reaffirm the role of education as a fundamental right and a public good. It will celebrate the many ways learning can empower people, preserve the planet, build shared prosperity and foster peace.” UN Website.
In order to provide a proper ‘Teaching and Communication Tool’ for the school, the project involved identifying a suitable Laptop. We sourced quotations from three suppliers and acquired a Dell Touchscreen Laptop with full warranty. Payment for this item was drawn down from our Parang Fundraiser held in December 2019. A Laptop Bag and Stationery Supplies were donated by some of our members, while others took the responsibility to collect, package and present to the staff and students of the Debe Presbyterian Primary School.
This generated a great deal of excitement among the children and appreciation among the staff. It is to be used as a stimulating teaching aid in the classroom as well as for administrative purposes. It enabled and empowered the adults in the school to deliver a better education. Our newspaper article informed the public about the importance of the International Day of Education, the SI Esperance project and the work of Soroptimist International. Our actions raised the public’s awareness and advocated for better educational provision.
Literacy Project ~ Penal Rock Road
In observance of The United Nations General Assembly’s ” International Day of Education”, Soroptimist International Esperance presented Penal Rock SDMS Early Childhood Centre with storybooks, colouring books, workbooks, crayons and modeling clay.
Our club chose this project to support the UN in their first-ever International Day of Education campaign to meet targets of the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development. It was designed to raise awareness of the role a quality education plays in poverty eradication and other areas. This plays an important part in future economic empowerment and quality of life for all.
THIS WON THE SIGBI FEDERATION’S PHOTO OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH 2019
Studies show that children who enter primary school without good pre-reading or reading skills find themselves “left behind”; resulting in their inability to obtain the education needed for strong economic empowerment. Providing literacy based books, games and alternative methods for teaching pre-school age students (age 3-5) gives the school the necessary tools to allow these students to learn the skills necessary to confidently matriculate into a primary school environment.
The project involved establishing a relationship with the Early Childhood Centre, assessing their needs and purchasing the items needed, and a visit to the Centre and presentation of the items by club members. We booked the photographer and wrote the copy for the newspapers to increase awareness of the educational needs of these children, and to advocate for better provision. We aim to educate, enable and empower students to be the best that they can be.
The donated resources enhanced the educational experience of the students, enabling them to confidently matriculate into primary school. This will lead to further educational opportunities because a strong literacy-based foundation was laid at an early age.
This project resulted in laying the foundation for Trinidad to be an integral part of the future development and achievement of peace and the building of sustainable societies in the future. The national newspaper, The Trinidad Express published an article about the project in which they said, ” SI Esperance recognizes the foundational role of education for peace and development and acknowledges that quality education transforms lives from an early age.”
As one of the teachers said,
“Having these stimulating materials will make a huge difference in making our teaching more interesting.”
