A Year of Growth at the Foundation
Written by Volunteer Melody Triumph
The Breteau Foundation has experienced a journey of growth in many ways this year: growth in our quality of content, in greater accessibility and diversity of programmes, and in our expansion into new territories and with new partners.
Leveraging Expertise and Partnerships
A significant part of our growth is thanks to working with partners clearly aligned to our mission and approach to providing access to quality education. In South Africa, the Breteau Foundation collaborated with The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to support the rollout of WCED’s e-learning strategy to 103 schools who have limited access to the internet and technology. With WCED, we provided a selection of 35 apps in numeracy, literacy, critical thinking and creativity in English and local languages, and delivered training to educators to support them with integrating tablets in their classrooms.
Results from our training showed a huge increase in educators’ confidence in delivering learning with technology. 91% of facilitators reported improvement and comprehension of e-learning strategies in the classroom and 95% of facilitators reported readiness to integrate tablets in classrooms.
Similarly in Bolivia, the Breteau Foundation partnered with Fundación Sariry with a similar partnership model to provide children with access to digital learning to children in Nueva Tilata, Viacha.
Quality Education Content
The Breteau Foundation’s STEAM Programme which aims to upskill teachers on STEAM methodology and integration into learning settings, expanded its programme this year to include Computational Thinking workshops and booklets. It uses project-based learning to develop computational thinking skills and its application to space and rocket science.
In addition and as part of our mission to support access to quality education, we invested more in children’s well-being to support their ability to learn and thrive.
For vulnerable children and children who have experienced trauma, the prefrontal cortex becomes foggy and a child’s focus shifts into self-preservation mode. Mindfulness allows children to shift from this state through breath and focus. In South Africa, we run a Coding and Mindfulness programme and in Lebanon, we deliver a Psychosocial Support Programme for children (PSS). Both programmes are rapidly expanding and working towards the goal of supporting our children’s personal and social development, to further enhance their learning capabilities.
Innovating to Achieve #Education For All
The Foundation recognises too that innovating is necessary to allow us to think outside the box and traditional ways of delivering education, to reach more children far and wide.
This year, we officially launched our partnership with the award-winning, global animation studios ZAG and ON Kids & Family (Mediawan Group) to educate millions on the global plastic crisis and how children can be active participants by making changes in their homes and local communities all over the world.
We have co-produced a special episode of their global TV Series – Miraculous LadyBug & Cat Noir, entitled “Action”, which will be launched in Summer 2023.
Pre-register here for free access to the “Action” episode and our complementary Plastic Changemaker Education Pack – environmental themed education resources for primary school children aged 7-11, organised into 5 modules each consisting of lesson plans, worksheets and activities.
Both will be available on our website from June 2023. Please spread the word and help us create a global network of educators committed to inspiring one million children worldwide to become ambassadors in the fight against plastic pollution.
Our journey of growth has been rapid this year and it has enabled us to become more self-aware, more focused and build stronger relationships and partnerships with the communities we work with, organisations, NGOs and governments. We intend to continue this journey of growth to the New Year and impact many more children’s lives through our work.