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.

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).

A library becomes part of school life when books are used every day.Through the CLASS program, Hands Across the Sea help...
08/27/2026

A library becomes part of school life when books are used every day.

Through the CLASS program, Hands Across the Sea helps schools turn library collections into active learning spaces. Across primary schools in the Eastern Caribbean, teachers lead reading tea times, conduct classroom read-aloud sessions, and encourage students to draw and discuss the stories they have heard.

These activities strengthen vocabulary, comprehension, creativity, and confidence while helping children build positive reading habits. Every classroom session reflects the partnership between teachers, schools, and Hands Across the Sea to make literacy an everyday experience.

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

At Bequia Anglican Primary ECC in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Early Pages Programme provides young children wi...
08/25/2026

At Bequia Anglican Primary ECC in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Early Pages Programme provides young children with access to age-appropriate books during the years when language, vocabulary, and early literacy skills are developing most rapidly.

Alongside carefully selected books, educators receive practical guidance that helps make reading a meaningful part of the classroom and encourages families to share books at home.

Every school supported through the Early Pages Programme strengthens its reach across the Eastern Caribbean, ensuring children begin building literacy foundations before they ever enter primary school.

Support early literacy programs across the Eastern Caribbean.
https://handsacrossthesea.org/get-involved/make-a-gift/

Hands Across the Sea welcomes volunteers who want to contribute directly to literacy work in Caribbean schools.On-island...
08/20/2026

Hands Across the Sea welcomes volunteers who want to contribute directly to literacy work in Caribbean schools.

On-island volunteers support a variety of projects, including painting library spaces, building bookshelves, organizing book collections, reading aloud with children, and working alongside educators through mentoring and ongoing collaboration.

These hands-on contributions help strengthen school libraries and support the ongoing work of the Caribbean Literacy and School Support (CLASS) program across the Eastern Caribbean.

For those spending time in the Eastern Caribbean during the winter months, volunteering offers an opportunity to work alongside local educators and communities in ways that support active literacy programs.

Interested in volunteering on-island? Learn more and contact Hands Across the Sea.
https://handsacrossthesea.org/get-involved/

Yvette Pompey dedicated her career to helping primary school children in St. Vincent and the Grenadines become confident...
08/18/2026

Yvette Pompey dedicated her career to helping primary school children in St. Vincent and the Grenadines become confident readers.

Her work extended beyond the classroom. At two schools, Yvette helped establish school libraries, volunteered as a librarian during lunch breaks and after school, sourced children's books and magazines to strengthen library collections, and created after-school and weekend reading clubs that gave students more opportunities to read.

Today, Yvette continues that commitment as a Hands Across the Sea Literacy Link, supporting schools with the experience, practical knowledge, and dedication she built throughout her career.

Learn more about the Literacy Links who strengthen literacy across the Eastern Caribbean.
https://handsacrossthesea.org/about/people/

Tucker Clarke Primary School in St. Kitts serves students across Grades K to 6 and has built a strong reading culture wh...
08/13/2026

Tucker Clarke Primary School in St. Kitts serves students across Grades K to 6 and has built a strong reading culture where students and teachers regularly engage with library resources. Books are borrowed, shared, and returned worn from consistent use.

Teachers and library staff work together to encourage reading across the school. Classroom collections complement the main library, extending access to books throughout the school day.

Hands Across the Sea has supported Tucker Clarke Primary School through the CLASS program with book collections selected to match the school's needs. When books are placed in a school where reading is already valued, they are read again and again.

Learn more about Hands Across the Sea in St. Kitts and Nevis.
https://handsacrossthesea.org/location/st-kitts-and-nevis/

For many children in the Eastern Caribbean, the first library they ever visit is the one in their preschool classroom. T...
08/11/2026

For many children in the Eastern Caribbean, the first library they ever visit is the one in their preschool classroom. The Early Pages Programme makes that possible by placing age-appropriate books in preschools that are building print-rich learning environments for the first time.

Preschools like Colihaut in Dominica represent exactly the kind of community the Early Pages Programme is designed to reach. By providing books alongside practical guidance for educators, the programme supports teachers in building daily reading routines and creating spaces where young children can develop language, vocabulary, and early literacy skills before primary school begins.

The foundation built in these early years matters. Children who grow up with access to books arrive at primary school ready to read.

Learn more about the Early Pages Programme.
https://handsacrossthesea.org/what-we-do/preschool-program/

A well-used school library becomes part of daily teaching, not just a place to borrow books.The Best Practices section o...
08/06/2026

A well-used school library becomes part of daily teaching, not just a place to borrow books.

The Best Practices section of the Hands Across the Sea Digital Resource Library shares practical ideas from experienced educators and librarians across the Eastern Caribbean. The resource focuses on helping teachers connect classroom learning with library collections, making books an active part of literacy instruction across subjects.

As part of the CLASS program, these resources strengthen the work already happening in schools by giving educators strategies they can adapt to their own classrooms and library spaces. The Teachers Resource Guide to the Library for Grades K-3 alone includes over 270 books for guided, shared, and independent reading and 42 library activities for early grade classrooms.

Explore the Best Practices resource and download the guide.
https://handsacrossthesea.org/resources/

A successful school library is built through consistent support, practical training, and educators who know how to make ...
08/04/2026

A successful school library is built through consistent support, practical training, and educators who know how to make books part of everyday learning.

Through the Caribbean Literacy and School Support (CLASS) program, Hands Across the Sea provides library use manuals, classroom read-aloud guidance, instructional training, and literacy coaching that help teachers and librarians strengthen reading experiences long after books arrive on the shelves.

That sustained support is what transforms a room full of books into a functioning part of daily school life. Teachers who know how to use a library and students who are encouraged to borrow regularly make the difference between a collection that sits on shelves and one that circulates every day.

Learn more about the CLASS program and how it strengthens literacy in schools across the Eastern Caribbean.
https://handsacrossthesea.org/what-we-do/class-program/

At Entrepot Secondary School in St. Lucia, a lending library serving 658 students was built through coordinated leadersh...
07/30/2026

At Entrepot Secondary School in St. Lucia, a lending library serving 658 students was built through coordinated leadership and community effort.

Principal Arthur Scott prioritized the space. Literacy Coordinator Laurelle Eugene dedicated half of the Learning Resource room to establish the library. Shelves were built in-house. Community librarian Ms. Oliviann Weekes organized the collection. Former Hands Across the Sea Literacy Link Clara Paul mobilized a student Library Team.

Teachers use subject-specific reference materials for research and lesson planning. Students access fiction, nonfiction, and reference books within an active lending system. The library operates as a structured academic resource embedded in daily school life.

Learn more about literacy work in St. Lucia. https://handsacrossthesea.org/location/st-lucia/

When a donation reaches Hands Across the Sea, its impact is evaluated inside the schools it supports. Each partner schoo...
07/28/2026

When a donation reaches Hands Across the Sea, its impact is evaluated inside the schools it supports. Each partner school is visited in person to assess the condition and organization of the lending library and to ensure responsible stewardship of funds.

Student borrowing records are reviewed to document how many girls and boys are using the library and how many books are circulating. Teachers complete surveys detailing how library resources are integrated into classroom instruction.

Clean, organized, actively used lending libraries are not assumed outcomes. They are verified through documented usage, structured systems, and direct oversight across the Eastern Caribbean.

Learn more about how Hands Across the Sea measures impact and stewards donations. https://handsacrossthesea.org/what-we-do/faq/

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