Monrovia – Help Alliance, the corporate social arm of Lufthansa Group and Brussels Airlines, are pleased to announce the successful implementation of their joint phonics and reading literacy program in partnership with Rosetta Steps Education Center. This initiative aims to equip 300 children with essential reading skills over a two-year period, starting with the inaugural class from Abedu Bentsi Public School in Logan Town. The program provides students with 108 instructional hours of phonics.
The first cohort of the program commenced on April 5th with the enthusiastic participation of 25 students from the first-grade students at Abedu Bentsi Public School. Currently ongoing, the students are in the process of undergoing intensive training in 21 fundamental phonics skills under the expert guidance of Rosetta Steps Education Center.
“We are thrilled to see the positive impact of this program on the students of Abedu Bentsi Public School,” said Ms. Marjolein Six, Country Manager of Brussels Airlines Liberia a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group. “Literacy is a cornerstone of education, and through this initiative, we are proud to contribute to the educational development of these young Liberian learners.”
The results from the initial phase of the program are promising, with significant improvements observed in the mastery of phonics skills among the students. Samuel Kollie, an 11-year-old student, serves as an exemplary case. Initially, Samuel only knew 11 out of 26 letter sounds in his pre-assessment. After just one month of training, he demonstrated mastery of 24 out of 26 letter sounds. Additionally, within two months, Samuel has successfully mastered blending VC (Vowel Consonant), CV (Consonant Vowel), and CVC (Consonant Vowel Consonant) words.
The program also has a feeding component and participants in the program are given a hot protein-based meal at the beginning of each session
“Our partnership with Lufthansa Airlines and Brussels Airlines has enabled us to deliver high-quality literacy education to these students,” stated Ama Harris, Executive Director of Rosetta Steps Education Center. “We are delighted to witness such rapid progress among the students, highlighting the effectiveness of our phonics-based approach.”
The phonics and reading literacy program represent a commitment by Lufthansa Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Rosetta Steps Education Center to empower communities through education. By focusing on foundational reading skills, the program aims to foster a lifelong love for learning and literacy among children.
For more information about the program and future initiatives, please contact:
About Help Alliance
Founded in 1999 by Lufthansa Group employees, help alliance – since 2017 as a non-profit limited liability company under the umbrella of the Lufthansa Group – is engaged worldwide in giving young people access to education and enabling them to lead a self-determined life.
www.helpalliance.org
About Lufthansa Group
Lufthansa Group is a leading global airline group committed to corporate responsibility and community engagement.
About Brussels Airlines
Brussels Airlines is Belgium’s flag carrier, dedicated to providing connectivity to Africa and other destinations worldwide and is committed to supporting local communities. Contact: +231 886520777 www.brusselsairlines.com
About Rosetta Steps Education Center
Founded in 2016 Rosetta Steps Education Center specializes in innovative literacy programs aimed at transforming educational outcomes for children and pupils from low income communities. Contact: +231 886284711 Website: www.rosettasteps.org