Hands Across the Sea

Hands Across the Sea Hands Across the Sea is dedicated to raising children's literacy in the Eastern Caribbean. Children have the basic right to read.
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Hands Across the Sea delivers sustainable, vital literacy and library programs to children in six Eastern Caribbean countries. Since 2007, Hands' initiatives have provided more than 167,000 children and youth with resources to support their capacity to create pathways for economic, social, and emotional wellbeing. Hands Across the Sea is recognized as the most effective non-governmental literacy o

rganization in the region. Our grassroots work means we are lean, effective, and harness the knowledge of the communities within which we are working and serving. Hands Across the Sea holds a Memorandum of Understanding with the OECS Education Management Unit, the regional commission charged with education policy and implementation. Hands serves as a Development Partner and advisor on the Regional Education Group alongside Global Partners for Education (GPE), World Bank, USAID, UNICEF, UNESCO, the European Union (EU), University of the West Indies (UWI), Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT).

In schools across the Eastern Caribbean, students in Grades 3 to 6 are trained to manage their school libraries. Through...
06/04/2026

In schools across the Eastern Caribbean, students in Grades 3 to 6 are trained to manage their school libraries. Through the Hands Across the Sea Student Librarian program, children take responsibility for organizing shelves, recording loans, assisting peers, and maintaining lending systems that keep books circulating daily.

More than 1,200 students have completed the training. For many, this is their first formal leadership role within their school community. The program builds accountability, confidence, and pride in shared spaces dedicated to reading. Schools that implement Student Librarians demonstrate that the library is central to school life.

Structured student leadership strengthens literacy culture and keeps books actively used.

Learn more about the Student Librarian program. https://handsacrossthesea.org/what-we-do/class-program/

Reading development does not follow a single path. Some students need books designed for their pace, their learning styl...
06/02/2026

Reading development does not follow a single path. Some students need books designed for their pace, their learning style, or their stage of development. Finding the right book for a child makes a measurable difference.

As part of the CLASS program, Hands Across the Sea also deploys targeted Remedial Reading Sets in school resource centers across the Eastern Caribbean. These carefully selected remedial collections include accessible readers and decodable books that support students who need more time and the right materials to build reading confidence.

Remedial Reading Sets are available for classroom use and student borrowing. They support differentiated instruction, strengthen decoding fluency, and provide age-appropriate content that meets students where they are academically.

Learn more about how Hands Across the Sea supports every reader.
https://handsacrossthesea.org/class25/

Reading development does not follow a single path. Some students need books designed for their pace, their learning styl...
05/28/2026

Reading development does not follow a single path. Some students need books designed for their pace, their learning style, or their stage of development. Finding the right book for a child makes a measurable difference.

As part of the 2025-2026 CLASS wishlist, Hands Across the Sea is prioritizing targeted reading collections for schools across the Eastern Caribbean. These carefully selected sets include accessible readers and decodable books that support students who need more time and the right materials to build reading confidence.

Collections are placed directly into school resource centers and are available for classroom use and student borrowing. They support differentiated instruction, strengthen decoding fluency, and provide age-appropriate content that meets students where they are academically.

Support a targeted reading collection through the 2025-2026 wishlist and help equip schools with the right books for every reader. https://handsacrossthesea.org/class25/

Across Dominica, Hands Across the Sea supports 160 active library programs serving schools in communities that are still...
05/26/2026

Across Dominica, Hands Across the Sea supports 160 active library programs serving schools in communities that are still rebuilding and strengthening their literacy infrastructure. Since program inception, more than 113,000 new books have been placed into classrooms and school libraries across the island.

At Christian Union Primary School in Roseau, 132 students in Grades K-6 now use a refurbished library rebuilt after Hurricane Maria destroyed the original collection in 2017. The library is timetabled for daily class visits, borrowing is steady, and student librarians help maintain displays and circulation. Literacy Link Giselle Laurent works alongside Principal Brenda George and library lead Vernella Henderson to ensure the collection remains organized, accessible, and actively used.

At Mahaut Primary School, serving 75 students, rebuilding continues. The school is constructing shelves for a new library space after losing its entire collection during the hurricane. Under the leadership of Principal Victoria Roberts and Literacy Coordinator Kellisha Roberts, classroom collections remain in use while preparations for the new library opening move forward.

Literacy Links Giselle Laurent and Lize Bardouille work directly with principals and teachers across Dominica to ensure collections are curated, maintained, and integrated into instruction. Their work is both island-wide and school-specific, grounded in partnerships with educators who lead daily literacy engagement.

Learn more about how Hands Across the Sea supports schools across Dominica. https://handsacrossthesea.org/location/dominica/

Since its founding, Hands Across the Sea has built a committed community of leadership donors who recognize that sustain...
05/21/2026

Since its founding, Hands Across the Sea has built a committed community of leadership donors who recognize that sustained investment is essential to advancing childhood literacy across the Eastern Caribbean. Leadership gifts of $10,000 or more directly support the scale and stability of CLASS, the Early Pages Programme, and national literacy partnerships that serve thousands of students each year.

As a lean organization, approximately 80 percent of resources are directed toward program implementation. On average, it costs just under $30 per year to ensure one child has access to books and structured literacy support through school libraries and classroom-based initiatives. Leadership giving expands this impact by strengthening the operational capacity and long-term stability that keeps programs running year after year across six island nations.

To explore leadership giving, contact Hands Across the Sea directly. https://handsacrossthesea.org/get-involved/

For nearly two decades, Hands Across the Sea has partnered with more than 100 U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers serving in the...
05/19/2026

For nearly two decades, Hands Across the Sea has partnered with more than 100 U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers serving in the Eastern Caribbean. This collaboration supports literacy development in primary schools, with a particular focus on Grades K to 3 and the foundational skills that shape long-term academic success.

Peace Corps Volunteers work alongside teachers and school leaders to strengthen reading instruction, organize and rejuvenate lending libraries, and support daily student engagement with books. Their presence contributes practical leadership in classrooms and sustained attention to the systems that help libraries function effectively.

This partnership reflects a shared commitment to improving child literacy through direct school-based collaboration. Together, Hands Across the Sea and the U.S. Peace Corps continue to strengthen early-grade reading environments and expand access to structured, well-supported library spaces across the region.

Learn more about the partnerships that strengthen literacy systems across the Eastern Caribbean. https://handsacrossthesea.org/what-we-do/class-program/

Hyacinth Gonsalves-Barriero brings more than 40 years of experience in education to her role as a Literacy Link for Hand...
05/14/2026

Hyacinth Gonsalves-Barriero brings more than 40 years of experience in education to her role as a Literacy Link for Hands Across the Sea in Antigua and Barbuda. Her career spans 22 years as a primary school teacher and 20 years as a principal, including leadership at Five Islands Primary School and T.N. Kirnon Primary School.

Throughout her tenure, she championed an open-door policy that encouraged collaboration among students, teachers, and parents, fostering safe, structured, and supportive learning environments.

Today, Hyacinth works closely with educators to ensure that classroom libraries and lending systems are effectively organized and actively used. Her guidance helps schools maximize the impact of their book collections, supporting consistent reading engagement and strong literacy practices across grade levels.

Learn more about the Literacy Links who sustain school libraries across the Eastern Caribbean. https://handsacrossthesea.org/about/people/

Research consistently links print books to stronger reading comprehension and deeper engagement compared to digital-only...
05/12/2026

Research consistently links print books to stronger reading comprehension and deeper engagement compared to digital-only formats. Studies on Free Voluntary Reading show that when students choose their own books and read in comfortable, informal environments, they read more frequently and demonstrate measurable gains in language development and literacy skills.

Hands Across the Sea builds and sustains physical libraries where students can access diverse, high-quality books every day. These spaces support independent reading habits, reinforce classroom instruction, and help students develop a lasting connection to reading.

Digital tools remain a useful complement to this work. Video read-alouds and at-home learning resources extend access beyond the school day. Print and digital resources work best together, with books in students' hands remaining at the center.

Learn more about how Hands Across the Sea approaches literacy programming. https://handsacrossthesea.org/what-we-do/faq/

At Urlings Primary School in Antigua, the library is a central part of daily learning. With 105 students and two dedicat...
05/07/2026

At Urlings Primary School in Antigua, the library is a central part of daily learning. With 105 students and two dedicated librarians managing operations, the space is consistently active, supporting regular borrowing and sustained reading engagement across grade levels.

The collection reflects strong student use. Books are frequently borrowed, shared, and integrated into classroom instruction, demonstrating a reading culture that is already well established within the school.

Schools like Urlings Primary are exactly what the Hands Across the Sea wishlist is designed to support. A targeted library top-up ensures students continue to have access to current, high-quality materials throughout the school year.

See the full wishlist and support a school in Antigua. https://handsacrossthesea.org/class25/

Last month, Hands Across the Sea Executive Director Ben Engle traveled to St. Vincent and Grenada to visit schools and m...
05/05/2026

Last month, Hands Across the Sea Executive Director Ben Engle traveled to St. Vincent and Grenada to visit schools and meet with Ministry of Education leaders. Time spent in classrooms and libraries provided direct insight into how book collections, daily reading routines, and structured library use are supporting students across grade levels.

At Highland Park School in St. Vincent, students spoke confidently about the books they are reading. Teachers described the instructional value of having well-curated classroom collections available daily. Principals emphasized the importance of building consistent reading habits from the earliest years. In Grenada, Literacy Links worked alongside librarians to review borrowing systems and ensure collections remain organized and actively used.

Ministry leaders spoke openly about the value of working alongside organizations that operate in a practical and respectful way. That partnership approach is central to how Hands Across the Sea operates across the region.

Much of what makes this possible is the work of Literacy Links on each island. Their ongoing relationships with schools create the trust that allows programs to function with both regional reach and school-level precision.

Learn more about how Hands Across the Sea works with schools and national partners. https://handsacrossthesea.org/what-we-do/class-program/

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