In 2016, Learning A-Z donated Headsprout and Raz-Kids product licenses to the Corazon de Vida Foundation , which operates four orphanages in Tijuana, Mexico. With each orphanage housing between 25-70 children, the foundation needed a bilingual reading enrichment program that would give all its orphanages the necessary educational resources to help its residents break the cycle of poverty.
After the orphanages installed Headsprout and Raz-Kids, most of the children spend about an hour with these online learning programs each day. This independent reading time gave an already short-staffed group of volunteers extra time to work with orphans on language and social skills.
Learning A-Z received letters from both the Corazon de Vida Foundation and volunteers from its orphanages that describe the impact Learning A-Z products have had on their children.
Amy Nichols, a summer volunteer at Casa de la Esperanza, works with approximately 50 children and sees how Raz-Kids has increased the students’ love of learning. “This past month, I have been able to spend 40-60 minutes with each child here as they learn more and more about reading and the books. I have noticed a great difference in their reading skills and their grades are much higher than they used to be. They are actually excited to read and to do school work because of this program, and it is a joy to see their enthusiasm for learning.”
Maya Gabriel works with about 70 children at Casa Hogar Sion, and she appreciates how Raz-Kids has enabled the orphans to progress with their reading skills: “This certainly is a very complete program. Our children have managed to improve their reading comprehension, and thanks to the audiobook option they can relate the story to images. They’re also enthusiastic about winning points and creating their own Raz Robots in the program.
Elizabeth Ontiveros also sees the value of these Learning A-Z online programs: “The children at Casa Hogar Ebenezer used to think that English was ‘boring,’ but thanks to the online activities, they are motivated to learn! All the students are showing more interest in wanting to learn because of this program.”
Learning A-Z president Bob Holl is proud that the donated online programs are making a difference in the lives of orphans at the Corazon de Vida Foundation. “The heart of Learning A-Z’s mission has been, from the beginning, to help every child become a proficient reader. Our employees take great care in creating resources that help teachers teach and children learn. We recognize that many schools in impoverished areas of the world don't have the ability to acquire the instructional resources needed to achieve literacy. We at Learning A-Z are pleased to be able to provide complimentary access to our quality, research-based resources to the children at the Corazon de Vida Foundation.”
