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Hands Across the Sea is dedicated
to raising the literacy levels
of Eastern Caribbean children
Donate to Hands Across the Sea
We serve an important constituency: the children of the Eastern Caribbean, from pre-school through high-school age. To do that we work with school principals, teachers, literacy coordinators, librarians, reading-program directors, government ministries, and U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers to raise the literacy levels of these children—they're the beautiful, vibrant heart of the Caribbean
St. Lucia
Fiona Mayer, Chief Education Officer "With a great sense of pride and appreciation, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, we thank Hands Across the Sea. We applaud the fact that Hands has local, experienced educators, their team of Literacy Links, who are increasing the library spaces at schools and making sure that reading remains a central aspect of our education system. We want to encourage all of Saint Lucia’s young people, our teachers, and our community to read fiction and nonfiction for pleasure, for information—we want to see reading become a big part of society."
Grenada
Andrea Phillip, Chief Education Officer (AG), Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development "I would like to convey our continued endorsement of Hands Across the Sea's initiative in Grenada. Thank you so much for giving our students expanded opportunities-the continuing donation of books to our schools has truly served to re-vitalize our school libraries with culturally relevant, age-appropriate new texts. A passion for reading cannot be taught, but is 'caught.'"
St. Kitts and Nevis
Ionie Liburd Willett, Permanent Secretary of Education "Thank you for all that you are doing to make a difference in our students' lives. I am encouraged that our students are becoming more informed and literate. It is so rewarding to see the children in classes and the libraries reading with such engagement and forgetting that it is recess or break time. You are doing a wonderful job."
Dominica
Ferne Brumant, District Education Officer, Ministry of Education "Literacy is a high priority in our education system, but many schools do not have adequate and interesting books. Also, many parents are unable to purchase reading books for their children. The students received the books from Hands with much excitement, and several schools have started school libraries. Thanks so much, Hands Across the Sea, for your investment in Dominican children."
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States
Sisera Simon, OECS Education Development Management Unit "Your organization's efforts will go a long way in ensuring the success of every learner in the region and will continue to strengthen our efforts in literacy during the early years. Thank you for taking a keen interest in working with children across the OECS."
"In the rural areas, where children now have access to authentic literature, we are seeing students who are interested in reading—boys are motivated to read and students now read during their leisure time. Hands Across the Sea is making an impact on the literacy development of St. Lucia."
Angela Mariatte, Curriculum Specialist, Ministry of Education, St. Lucia
"Getting children's books can be very costly, and some of our schools have a very anemic supply of books for their libraries. Hands Across the Sea has really helped a developing country like Nevis educate its young people."
Andrea Bussue, Education Officer, Department of Education, Nevis
"The donation has created an atmosphere where pupils look forward to their library period. The new books have encouraged pupils to make books their friends. Hands Across the Sea has enhanced learning at our school."
Euella Joseph, Principal,
Penville Primary School, Dominica
"Our school was extremely impoverished in reading material. Many students were low achievers, and teachers had little or no material in the library to reinforce what they were teaching. Thankfully, we were blessed in a big way by Hands Across the Sea."
Wendy Rodney, Principal,
Petit Bordel Secondary School,
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Lucia
Sharon McDonald, Principal, Piaye Combined School "Hands Across the Sea has shown passion and devotion to the staff and students of our school, and all of St. Lucia. They not only donated books and school supplies but have changed the educational landscape of our students and provided them with richer and deeper learning experiences."
Dominica
Sandra Roberts, HOD English, Isaiah Thomas Secondary School "We came from literally nothing to a completely new Literacy Centre and a refurbished library with attractive, exciting, updated, and meaningful fiction and non-fiction books. Our reading population has improved significantly and our students simply love to visit both the library and Literacy Centre."
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Lorette Coy-James, Principal, Stephanie Browne Primary School "Since Hands visited us five years ago our school has seen a great improvement in our library resource and thus a significant improvement in student reading levels. The interest shown by Hands Across the Sea in our children's development is greatly appreciated by our parents, staff, and students."
Grenada
Kim Parris, Teacher-Librarian, Anglican High School "Hands Across the Sea has played a major role in the reopening of our school library. They asked us to transform a storeroom space with shelves, and then the new books arrived. On a daily basis our students, filled with excitement, are borrowing and reading books. The gift from Hands is enhancing reading and literacy among our students."
Antigua
Cindy Reynolds, Volunteer Librarian, Kids Unlimited School "Hands Across the Sea has done a great job helping to stock our school library with new, exciting titles. The fact that they send the books that we actually ask for is pretty amazing, and has made a massive difference to our library and our school."
St. Kitts and Nevis
Emilita Warner, Principal, Beach Allen Primary School "We welcomed the intervention of Hands Across the Sea in the restructuring of our school's library. They did not just share great ideas but also provided materials for cataloging our books and making it more simplified for the librarian and students."

For more reviews of Hands by educators, please go to the Hands page on Great Nonprofits, an organization that hosts reviews of nonprofit groups.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Jessica Sances, U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer "With books from Hands Across the Sea I was able to turn the defunct library at Barrouallie Government School into a great resource for getting kids interested in literacy. Kids are now clamoring for books to read. I know that Hands will continue to work with the school to sustain the library; the children will continue to improve their literacy and maintain a positive attitude toward reading."
Grenada
Amanda Dombach, U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer "Everyone at Hands worked diligently with me and the school staff every step of the way. Literacy and the availability of good reading materials is a big issue in the Caribbean; most of the children at my rural school would not have had access to reading books at all if it had not been for Hands."
St. Kitts and Nevis
Tom Wieland, U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer "Hands Across the Sea helped provide a massive amount of germane and high-quality books to Irishtown Primary School, a great little school situated in a tough neighborhood. The children struggle against great odds and challenges, but the kids' innate desire to learn shines through with the excellent selection of books that Hands Across the Sea sent."
St. Lucia
Desteni Monai, U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer "We had no library at Dennery Primary School when I began my service. Thanks to Hands Across the Sea, now the students have a full library with brand new books. I have nothing but good things to say about Hands. The team was extremely friendly and helpful, and the delivery time was expedient and hassle-free."
Dominica
Judy Joyce, U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer "Hands Across the Sea has been helping schools in Dominica for years. New books and a brightly-painted space make a library come alive and inviting to children whose culture is illiterate. Hands has done a fantastic job building and restoring libraries for nearly the whole island."

For more reviews by U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers, please see the Hands page on Great Nonprofits, an organization that hosts reviews of nonprofit groups.
"My secondary school's library sorely needed appropriate books, and Hands Across the Sea delivered with great books that lured struggling readers into our library. Far more books are being borrowed now by a wider range of students."
Vicky Vail, U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer,
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
"Not only did Hands send a wealth of material, they did their research and supplied targeted resources, making their and my efforts sustainable. They are very effective at what they do."
Susan Hart, U.S. Peace Corps
Volunteer, St. Lucia