Lessons from LAC Reads: Espacios para Crecer in Nicaragua

This brief is one in a series of briefs uncovering lessons learned from four evaluations of promising reading interventions funded by USAID as part of the Latin America and the Caribbean Reads (LAC Reads) project. The evaluations were conducted by Mathematica.

Espacios para Crecer (EpC) is an intensive after-school program designed to support disadvantaged, primary school-age children by providing additional learning time to children who are at risk of poor performance, are having difficulties at school, have dropped out of school before completing grade 3, or have never attended school. DevTech Systems Inc. and its partners adapted and implemented the EpC intervention in Nicaragua’s Southern Caribbean Atlantic Autonomous Region (RACCS) as a part of the USAID/Nicaragua-funded Community Action for Reading and Security (CARS) project.

The evaluation focused on the impact of the main EpC program activities:

• Offering EpC in communities and encouraging children’s attendance.
• Training and coaching facilitators on methods, techniques, and activities to facilitate accelerated learning, including providing differentiated responses to meet children’s individual needs and make learning fun.
• Observing facilitators and providing feedback/mentoring.
• Adapting reading materials to the local context.
• Distributing books, musical instruments, and sports equipment.