Think Creative - Issue 1

Zambian preschoolers prepped for school

Field Notes

Zambia // Mimi’s Place

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cultivating their innate predisposition for learning using a method known as the Creative Way. Chil- dren learn through play centered on hands-on experimentation, an age-appropriate reading and math skills curriculum and organic exploration. By providing this on-site early learning opportunity to the children of its staff, Creative aims to keep more parents, especially mothers, in the workforce, and equip the next generation of leaders and workers with the best possible start to education. Parents of Mimi’s Place students and graduates have reported positive changes in their children’s confidence, behavior and academic skills. All par- ents surveyed said their kids are now more ready for primary school. They also reported engaging in more learning activities with their children at home, with guidance from the Creative Way methodology. To reach more young learners and support local staff in nurturing healthy families and school-ready children, Creative hopes to expand the Mimi’s Place model to some of its other programs. n

A year ago, Chawanzi Nkonde didn’t know her letters or numbers. Though she had gone to pre- school before, her new teachers at Mimi’s Place felt like they were starting from the beginning with Chawanzi. Her classmate, Loveness Phiri, was also struggling in an English language environ- ment; she had never had to use anything but her native Chinyanja before now. Today, after a year of school readiness prepa- ration, Chawanzi is now a proud primary school student who can spell three-letter words, count to 50 and do simple addition and subtraction. Still at Mimi’s Place, Loveness is telling stories in English and writing her name. Launched in February 2016 to serve the pre- school-aged children of Creative’s Zambian staff members, Mimi’s Place is a first-of-its-kind early childhood education center in Lusaka. Named for Creative’s late co-founder Mimi Tse, a relentless advocate for access to quality education for all children, the innovative center seeks to pre- pare three to six year-olds for success in school by

Honduras Dry Corridor Thousands of families in the

impoverished, climate-fragile Dry Corridor region of Honduras will generate higher incomes, gain greater food security and improve their nutrition and hygiene with help from a World Bank-funded project for the Honduran government agency Invest-H. Education Mozambique Vamos Ler! Let’s Read! (Vamos Ler! in Portuguese) is working with the Mozambican government to support bilingual education in three local languages for over 800,000 children in first, second and third grades in the provinces of Nampula and Zambézia. Pakistan Reading Project The Pakistan Reading Project recently completed a National Gender Study, which identifies and provides recommendations for addressing gender gaps within the primary education system in Pakistan. Morocco Read to Succeed The newly launched Reading for Success – National Program for Reading project aims to improve early grade reading in 8,500 schools in the regions of Fez-Meknes, Rabat- Kenitra, Souss-Massa and Oriental. It seeks to equip the Moroccan government to replicate the project in all 12 regions of the country. BringingUnity, Integrity and Legitimacy toDemocracy Thanks to efforts by the Somaliland National Election Commission and Creative, more than 870,000 people will receive biometric voter cards, supporting transparent and efficient voter registration for elections to come.​

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The Afghanistan Workforce Development Program is addressing the country’s high rate of unemployment by improving access to demand-driven technical training and careers. The program provides aspiring women entrepreneurs and job seekers the opportunity to gain skills that lead to thriving careers and positive change for their families and communities. Afghanistan // Workforce Development Unlocking the potential of Afghan women

36% of program trainees are women

8,880 women have been placed in jobs

14,082 women have gained in-demand workforce skills

12 provinces have benefited from the program

9 AWDP training sectors*

4 major export categories**

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*Training sectors include: business communication, financial management, marketing, project management, women in private sector, youth training for employment, construction, employment-related services, ICT, sales and marketing, career counseling centers, master trainers training. **Export categories include: agriculture, spices, perfumes and precious gems, and handicrafts.

Infographic by Amanda Smallwood

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