Capacity development as part of education

Education has been identified as a key aspect to achieve societal development. This has been highlighted with the 2015 sustainable development goals, with goal 4 being to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Education has also shifted to being a means to transmit peace and global tolerance through increasing the understanding of other cultures. This has tied in with the rise of capacity development initiatives in development practice that seek to empower and enable individuals and communities to build upon their preexisting capacities. It is a key strategy to ensure educational development by international organisations, governments, and communities.

The main principles of capacity development are participation, locally driven agenda, ongoing learning, long term investment and building upon local capacities. By integrating these principles into educational development, it allows for school communities to become involved in peace building activities. Through following a locally driven agenda schools can become centres for fostering peace and understanding and address local issues that may prevent children from attending or staying in school.

This is what the UNESCO Associated Schools network aims to achieve by involving schools and educational institutes at a global level, creating networks of educators and students that share information, knowledge and spread UNESCOs value of peace. It aims to join schools through four pillars of learning: learning to know, learning to do, learning to be and learning to live together to create sustainable learning and teaching environments that involve communities in conservation activities, petitions and cultural events. Schools undertake social and educational projects that allow students to get involved with supporting developmental and humanitarian organisations, through fundraising and field trips. Recently The Steve Sinnott Foundation organised an international trip to Japan for the 70th Anniversary of UNESCO ASPnet for the Arts and Culture for peace exchange, bringing together students from The Gambia, Oman, Singapore, Korea and Coventry.

By expanding education to include individuals and communities’ local agendas and addressing international issues, education can provide a platform for ongoing learning and development. It allows for students to develop their ability to think critically and connect with others meaning they can both learn and understand issues that might not be highlighted otherwise. By allowing schools, students, and communities to connect and direct their own development and focusing on developing existing capacities, the meaning and aim of education shifts from traditional roles to being focused upon understanding and peace.

This article first appeared in Engage 27.

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BY JOSEPHINE DODDS • May 6, 2024

Alfabetizasyon se chemen development - Literacy is the way to development

By Sarah Grey • January 28, 2026

Alfa Limonade, Haiti For all our people who were deprived of childhood education, the objective of this Alfa programme is to provide the opportunity to become literate. In Haiti, especially in rural areas such as ours, literacy rates are dismal. 44% of Haitian men and 56% of Haitian women are illiterate, but these statistics are far worse in villages and the countryside. (UNESCO) Launched 23 years ago, Alfa uses an excellent participatory text book, Goute Sel, for writing, reading, and comprehension. It was developed specifically for use here in Haiti. We also use Ti Koze Sou Istwa Peyi Ayiti, stories and questions from Haitian history, and Lekti Net Ale, reflections on connecting with the world. Through blackboard instruction and Kaye Kalkil, Alfa participants practise exercises in arithmetic. At the second level we launch group discussion through reading Edikasyon Civik. After long consideration, our team of monitors has established that Alfa must develop its own practical introduction to numeracy for adult learners. Our improved numeracy project must adjust to the situation of Alfa participants. Obviously, in their daily lives our participants constantly face numeracy problems. Having no education, they were unaware of their lack of capacity. Today, through Alfa, they are gaining in literacy, and we should also ensure that, despite their often advanced ages, they also become numerate. They must not lose this gift simply because they have been deprived of the basic human right to education. Through our new tool, Alfa’s market women and peasant farmers will grasp the basics of numeracy, so that they are not lost in the economic situations of their adult lives. They will address these problems with awareness, papers and pencils in their hands - just as others do! Chancy Jacques, Alfa Supervisor, and Antolius Pierre, Alfa monitor in Jede, are collaborating on Alfa’s own book, Kalkil San Limit, with the following objectives: To support our monitors with a good tool for introducing numeracy. To reinforce the capacity of every Alfa participant. To enable participants to reflect productively. To enable participants to calculate well and fast. To enable participants to record their written results. Thus Kalkil San Limit will include the following sections: numeracy, problem solving, geometry, and mental calculation. Numeracy is a key part of the core skill base of a literate individual. In our Haiti, this means the ability to understand and use basic maths in real life situations at home, in the market place, or for agricultural transactions. We are preparing to go to print this summer! By Sarah Grey Alfa Limonade, Haiti

Education for All unlocks potential

By Ann Beatty • January 27, 2026

Here we hear from Gabie Aurel who leads the Sonje Ayiti Organization (SAO), our partner in Haiti. They prioritise investing in quality education to break the cycle of poverty, promote long-term economic and social stability, and uplift everyone. It equips children, youth, and adults with the skills to achieve their potential, higher earnings, and better health outcomes. SAO’s work improves community well-being overall and fosters a more resilient and inclusive society. Gabie says,’I am so privileged to grace the path of many inspiring individuals (children, youth, men and women) who share their stories about what education means to them and how it has built their confidence and drastically transformed their lives.’ An example of a life transformed is Rosenie Selmour, a second level participant in ALFA at the Cima Literacy Center in Limonade, Haiti. Here is her testimony: ‘I always felt small when people were reading and writing around me because I couldn't read or write. I was afraid to speak in public, and I was ashamed to say that I couldn't read. Since coming to the Cima Literacy Center, my life has changed. Every day I learn something new. I can read on my own, I can read medical prescriptions, I can read my Creole Bible very well, and even write my children's names on their notebooks and supervise their homework. I am in awe to see how our good education is expressed daily in the form of mutual respect, solidarity, empathy, camaraderie, and how we support and treat each other now. We don't laugh at people if they make mistakes. We correct and we encourage. I remember the first time I read a sentence in front of the class, everyone in the centre was happy and applauded me. I felt proud, it was the first time I felt so valued. What motivates me to come every day? ‘It's my dream to be able to read and write well and to know my fundamental rights. And above all, I feel like I'm not alone. We are a family at Alfa.’ Stories like this fuel SAO’s commitment to invest in quality education throughout Haiti, especially in rural villages where the most vulnerable children, youth, and adults have no access to basic education. SAO’s commitment to breaking the cycle of poverty through quality education promotes greater employment opportunities which lift families out of poverty, thus reducing heavy reliance on social assistance programmes. It boosts economic growth through a skilled workforce, fosters individual well-being, reduces preventable diseases,and improves overall understanding of health. This can prevent diseases, unnecessary deaths and improve overall well-being. Quality education cultivates important cognitive, social, emotional, and communication skills. This reduces conflicts and improves harmony in communities. Additionally, it helps build resilience to recurring difficulties, reduces gender-based violence prevalent in rural communities, and strives to promote gender equality, building stronger communities and societies, enhancing social stability. In sum, quality education for all creates a recurring cycle of inclusive opportunity for all.’ Supporting the Resource Learning Centre in Haiti Until students return to school in December they are learning vocational skills and they themselves are actively involved in site renovation work We are really proud to see this revival take hold with so much passion and responsibility.

Hope and Change in Haiti

By Gabrielle Aurel • January 26, 2026

In March 2025, The Steve Sinnott Foundation, in partnership with Sonje Ayiti Organisation and local partners, launched a month-long campaign in Haiti to raise awareness of gender-based violence and empower communities to take action. The campaign launched on International Women’s Day (8 March) at the CIMA Community School of Hope, where over 200 people gathered for a vibrant programme of cultural dances, drama, partner presentations and open discussions. Facilitators from SOSPSY, a Haitian non-governmental organisation providing psychosocial support and mental health services to communities affected by trauma, violence, and displacement, guided participants in exploring hidden forms of violence often accepted as normal. Their sessions created a powerful space for reflection and the sharing of personal testimonies. Through interactive workshops and educational games, students learned about gender equality and how to recognise and prevent gender-based violence, as well as how to support peers who may be affected. They asked thoughtful questions, engaged actively and pledged to become ambassadors for non-violence in Haiti. As part of the Positive Periods Programme, 20 girls received 100 reusable sanitary pads in recognition of their participation. Many attendees expressed gratitude and a strong commitment to take action within their communities. A national voice inspires local action On 12 March, the campaign welcomed Jean Jean Roosevelt, one of Haiti’s most celebrated singers and a champion for women’s rights through his lyrics. He engaged boys at CIMA School of Hope in a gender-based violence campaign by producing a music video about the topic, giving them a platform to speak about respect for women and their role in ending violence. Their voices will now join a growing national movement for equality. Positive Periods: sustainable solutions for girls and the planet The campaign also tied into the Positive Periods Programme, now in its fourth year. Thanks to funding from The Foundation, students at CIMA’s sewing workshop are making reusable sanitary pads, uniforms and traditional clothing. In March alone, 237 reusable pads were distributed in schools and at the campaign’s closing ceremony, helping girls stay in class and reducing waste from disposables. So far, 41 students have been trained in sewing, with 20 already earning income from their skills. This programme not only supports menstrual health but also tackles poverty and environmental challenges by promoting cost-effective, sustainable, reusable products. Reusable sanitary pads have helped reduce school absenteeism for more than 1,500 girls while also cutting waste across 19 rural schools. This year, the sewing workshops at CIMA Community School of Hope expanded the Positive Periods Programme, training 41 students, both girls and boys, in pad-making and other skills. Twenty of these students are now earning an income of 1,000 Gourdes (around $8 USD) per uniform, while also producing reusable pads for women and girls who cannot make their own. Through The Foundation, the Learning Resource Centre provides a Sewing Workshop that is equipped with machines and supplies, enabling students, not only to produce pads but also to develop valuable skills. Designed for durability, these pads can be reused for years, reducing costs, limiting import, and providing income-generating opportunities for students. Monitoring and evaluation The project evaluated both implementation and methodology before, during, and after each intervention. Pre-assessments measured participants’ knowledge of gender-based violence, while sessions ensured understanding and post-assessments allowed questions and discussion. Initially, most participants were unfamiliar with gender-based violence, but by the end, they actively engaged in discussions on issues like men’s authority over women and corporal punishment, showing increased awareness and commitment. Follow-up interviews confirmed retention of key information and a willingness to adopt behaviours that help prevent gender-based violence in their communities. In total, the campaign reached more than 500 people directly and an estimated 5,000–10,000 indirectly through community networks, posters, and social media—spreading vital messages of equality and change far beyond the classroom walls. Looking ahead Evaluations showed that most participants entered the campaign with little knowledge of gender-based violence but left with a clearer understanding and determination to act going forward. Through these initiatives, The Steve Sinnott Foundation is helping young people and communities stand together against violence, build sustainable futures ,and create a more equal, hopeful Haiti. This programme is supported by the Soroptimist International Foundation, a Charitable Trust overseen by SI (Soroptimist International) Limited. By Gabrielle Aurel Director of Sonje Ayiti