Building a Literate Generation in Sumba
On Sumba Island, the Indonesia Children’s Literacy Foundation (YLAI) works in close partnership with local governments, education offices, schools, and community stakeholders to lay a strong literacy foundation for children in the early grades. Since 2019, together with development partners, we have been implementing a range of initiatives across four districts: Southwest Sumba, West Sumba, Central Sumba, and East Sumba.
Our journey began in Southwest Sumba and West Sumba in 2019–2020, with ten schools in each district serving as pilot sites for inclusive and joyful reading instruction. These early successes became the driving force for expansion: between 2021–2023, WLF program reached ten schools in Southwest Sumba, while UBS program engaged fifteen schools in West Sumba. A further nine schools joined in the next phase, alongside extending interventions to six schools in Central Sumba.
Expansion continues into Central Sumba and East Sumba,with plans to establish and support seven schools in Central Sumba and ten schools in East Sumba from 2025–2027, followed by an additional set of schools in each district during 2026–2027 at the same scale. Meanwhile, in West Sumba, the program has entered the “You Do” phase, where the government has taken over the program for widespread dissemination in the region. The government has prepared regional facilitators to conduct outreach to schools through Teacher Working Group (KKG) activities. Each school acts as a literacy hub—teachers, principals, and local facilitators are trained to deliver the, Balanced Reading Program, integrating high-quality local storybooks, phonics instruction, guided reading sessions, and child-friendly reading corners.
Through sustained collaboration with local communities, YLAI is not only improving children’s reading proficiency but also fostering local ownership and building lasting capacity. We believe literacy is the right of every child. Working alongside our partners in Sumba, we are preparing a generation of young people who think critically, care for their communities, and are equipped to face the future with confidence.