Congratulations to the 2025 Foundation Grant Winners! 

This project will strengthen community life in the Santa Cecilia and El Cabuyal precincts of Puerto Quito by creating spaces for dialogue and opportunities for women and girls of all ages, particularly in rural areas. Working with civil society organizations and local authorities, the initiative will encourage active participation in community matters, support the development of skills for sustainable livelihoods, and promote the preservation of cultural heritage and ancestral knowledge. Expected results include the creation of collaborative dialogue spaces, enhanced life skills and personal projects, and the launch of enterprises that honor and share the traditions of Afro-descendant communities.

The Magical World of Reading 2025 is a literacy and communication skills initiative for 60 children and adolescents (ages 6–15) in Cali’s Commune 12. Led by Fundación Recurso Humano Positivo in partnership with the Color Esperanza Foundation, this six-month project (July–December 2025) combines reading, writing, and oral expression with artistic and cultural activities to build confidence and encourage a culture of peace. 

Key activities include reading sessions, a weekly book lending program, family reading events, storytelling workshops, orality exercises, library visits, and the creation of a mural newspaper and children’s booklet. Parents will participate in training workshops to strengthen home-based reading support. The project concludes with community events celebrating achievements and promoting reading as a shared activity. 

To ensure lasting impact, the initiative will establish a youth-led reading club for program graduates, create partnerships with libraries, publishers, and bookstores, and produce original materials to support future replication. 

Letramento – Pedagogical Support for Literacy is an educational initiative that strengthens literacy skills for adolescents in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Implemented by Partners RS IN in collaboration with the Madre Madalena Social Center, the project focuses on providing essential reading, interpretation, and writing skills to ten adolescents aged 14 to 16. 

Over six months (July to December 2025), participants will attend weekly 2.5-hour sessions that use engaging, tailored strategies to support learning. Activities are led by a volunteer literacy teacher with the support of coordinators and a workshop assistant. 

The initiative aims to improve literacy, build confidence, and prepare participants for future academic and professional opportunities. The model is designed to be replicable across other communities and institutions in the region. Sustained by funding from the Pixote Literacy Fund and in-kind contributions, the project leverages partnerships with civic, faith-based, and educational organizations to ensure long-term impact. 

Building Futures is a multidisciplinary educational initiative for 120 to 150 children and adolescents in Paraíba, Brazil, focused on strengthening literacy and media skills while reducing school dropout and risk behaviors among youth aged 12 to 16. 

Grounded in Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy and real-world learning, the program combines classroom instruction with hands-on experiences through three core pillars: 

• Education & Culture: Literacy development using texts and projects connected to local realities. 

• Sports: Confidence-building physical activities based on the “Character Counts” method, delivered in partnership with UFPB and sports professionals. 

• Environment: Field classes in museums and laboratories to encourage environmental awareness and applied learning. 

Implemented through church-school networks in three cities and supported by the Pixote Literacy Fund, the project runs from July to December 2025. It will produce over 30 youth-led academic and career projects, foster personal and academic goal-setting, and strengthen family engagement. Expected outcomes include measurable gains in literacy, reduced dropout rates, and improved confidence and readiness for further education. 

Literacy for All is a community-based literacy initiative led by PartnersCampus Lambayeque and Ecoviajeros, aimed at expanding educational opportunities in La Pradera, a rural community in northern Peru. Building on the earlier Reading for the Future program, this phase will provide literacy education to 90 children and adolescents (ages 6–12) at Santa Julia School and engage more than 540 family and community members through direct and indirect participation. 

The project uses an interactive, culturally relevant approach, combining weekly learning sessions, creative materials, and family involvement to strengthen reading and writing skills while fostering critical thinking and a love for learning. Activities include parent and volunteer training, awareness campaigns, creative writing workshops, and the enhancement of community libraries. Partnerships with civil society organizations, local leaders, and the Catholic diocese will support outreach and sustainability. 

This project will provide a complete core library collection for a newly constructed community library in La Concepción, a Tolupan village in Yoro, Honduras. Led by the Honduran Association of Indigenous Librarians (HAIL) and supported by the U.S.-based Honduran Tolupan Education Program (HTEP), the initiative will serve hundreds of children and adults from more than a dozen rural settlements. 

Located next to a Jesuit “Maestro en Casa” classroom and across from the local elementary school, the library is designed for broad community use. The project will purchase and catalog up to 2,000 books, including a specialized health collection. Materials will be housed temporarily in the Maestro classroom before moving to the new library building, which will feature internet access, a computer lab, and essential amenities. 

This is the third in a series of four libraries planned by HTEP and the first to be managed fully by HAIL, ensuring strong local leadership and long-term sustainability. The project also establishes a model that can be replicated in other communities across Honduras.