Edited by: Priyanka Negi
The winners are from Colombia, Lebanon, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria and Thailand. The programmes focus on different areas, including multilingual education, displaced learners, out-of-school children and community-based learning. Language Friendly School Programme, Netherlands: Run by the Rutu Foundation, the programme encourages schools to recognise children’s home languages and create a more inclusive learning environment. Project PAL, Nigeria: The Primary Accelerated Literacy programme supports out-of-school children, particularly those living in conflict-affected areas of the Niger Delta. It uses learning centres to help children develop basic literacy skills. Accelerated Education for Out-of-School Displaced Youth, Lebanon: The Alsama Project provides accelerated learning opportunities to displaced young people who have missed years of formal education. Their work includes supporting children outside school, displaced young people, multilingual communities and learners from different backgrounds.
The 2026 awards highlight how literacy programmes are addressing challenges beyond basic reading and writing.
