LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD with GOALS Haiti

In some of the villages in Haiti where GOALS works, there are no schools, no paved roads and no electricity or running water. Nearly all adults are low-literate and just 72% of children attend school. GOALS’ ‘Leveling the Playing Field’ literacy project uses the power of sport to build locally-led literacy programming in order to create fully literate communities, improving local leadership, health and future earning potential.

GOALS uses football in Haiti to engage youth in sport, health, and education projects. By using football as a platform for development, GOALS reaches children left behind by conventional educational systems. GOALS empowers soccer coaches and players with leadership and subject-specific trainings to develop local capacity.

The GOALS literacy project teaches basic reading, writing and numeracy skills to low- and non-literate youth (Ages 8+) and/or adults who are financially and geographically cut off from traditional schooling. 

Amongst participating children, only 25% were able to write their own names at the beginning of the course. Two-thirds had never attended school past first grade. Amongst adults, none had formal employment and only three had ever attended school.

Learn more about the project here.