Changing communities,
changing lives.
The Little Learner Initiative (LLI) is a global campaign to empower parents and caregivers with the tools needed to provide children with high quality early education, irrespective of their socio-economic status or geographical location.
In 2012, the EEECF began to distribute software programs, books and other early education materials specifically developed to foster reading, math, foreign language and musical abilities in young children. In areas where these children do not possess the computer equipment needed to play the software programs or lack the means to acquire such equipment, the EEECF also plans to donate basic computer equipment needed to support the software programs through collaboration with other non-profit organizations which distribute computers to the needy families and institutions, by providing them with the learning programs to be pre-installed on donated hardware.
The EEECF also gives special consideration to children with special needs. Through the Little Learner Initiative, the EEECF distributes BrillKids programs and materials to children in over 20 countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Denmark, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Croatia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Ukraine, South Africa, Zambia, India, Serbia, Romania, Bosnia and Slovenia.
In addition, the EEECF targets orphanages, libraries, daycare centers, schools, kindergartens and other organizations that are engaged in the instruction or caretaking of all families and children within the targeted scholarship demographic. Our foundation is currently working with organizations in 17 countries around the world, including China, Canada, Indonesia, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Panama, the Philippines, Pakistan, Serbia, Ukraine, Albania, South Africa, Zambia and Cambodia.
United States
In the US, donations of the BrillKids early education programs are impacting
children enrolled in the Head Start Program and the Special Supplemental
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (better known as the "WIC
Program") to help break the cycle of poverty through early literacy. These materials are also being utilized in some of the most impoverished
minority urban school districts on the east coast through a partnership with local non-profit organization Team Children.
Canada
In Canada, BrillKids early education programs are being introduced to
elementary school students with Down syndrome.
India
BrillKids programs and materials are used throughout a network of schools
in India to foster early reading and comprehension both in English and the local
language.
Pakistan and Turkey
The donated programs are used to introduce literary
concepts to deaf students throughout a network of schools in Pakistan and will
soon be introduced in Turkey.
China
In mainland China, the Mandarin version of the BrillKids programs and materials
is being used in pilot projects in primary schools serving children of migrant
workers. There are also plans to introduce these BrillKids programs and materials to
schools serving needy children in rural areas across China.
Ukraine
In Ukraine, the BrillKids programs and materials are being used as essential
tools to help orphans learn English, which gives them better chances to be
adopted or to obtain further education and better jobs.
Philippines
In the Philippines, donated programs are being used
by primary education and child psychology interns to teach children English in local community schools and kindergartens. These interns have
seen "incredible changes in literacy and phonemic awareness levels" among
their target primary student groups.
Serbia and Kosovo
In Serbia, BrillKids programs and materials are being introduced
by volunteers to community centers, kindergartens, orphanages and primary
schools. The goal is to reach 150 target institutions serving children in both
Serbia and neighboring Kosovo. The materials are being used
primarily for English instruction to very young children, but there are also
plans to develop similar materials in the local Serbian and Bosnian languages.
English proficiency will give students opportunities for further education and
better jobs. Before the introduction of the BrillKids programs, English
instruction was only available to a chosen few.