Maicao, La Guajira

$1,200 USD

Each year, Colombian high school students sit for the ICFES Exam, a national standardized test like the American SAT or ACT which can impact opportunities to pursue higher education. 

Challenge: With in-person classes suspended due to the pandemic, low-income students in remote areas without access to laptops, tablets, or reliable internet connections have found themselves further disadvantaged. To assist these students, a group of teachers in Maicao, La Guajira, created the Pre-ICFES Classes by Radio program. Partnering with the nearby Colombian National Army base and making use of their FM radio station, the program went live in April.

Solution: With its FOC grant, Pre-ICFES By Radio purchased a multifunction printer and spiral binding machine to print and distribute learning resources to accompany each set of lessons delivered by radio. Once printed, the Colombian National Army unit stationed at Maicao assisted in distributing the booklets to 9th-, 10th-, and 11th-grade students in the municipalities of Maicao, Uribia, and Manaure.