‍The Literacy Crisis in Rural Central America

Across Latin America and the Caribbean, four out of five sixth graders struggle with basic reading skills. Years of pandemic-related school closures pushed learning outcomes back more than a decade, and children in rural areas—where access to books and trained educators is scarce—have been hit hardest.

In communities where printed materials are limited and classrooms lack resources, learning to read is often left to chance. That’s where AnGo, our low-tech literacy app, is opening new doors.

Meeting Diego

During a recent visit to a small farming community tucked between the mountains of rural Guatemala, our team spent an afternoon with Diego, an AnGo Ambassador who is quietly transforming how children in his village learn to read.

At just 15, Diego spends long days helping plant radishes, corn, and “a bit of everything,” as he said with a shy smile. But in the evenings, something remarkable happens.

He becomes the person younger children turn to when they want to hear a story.

“In my community there aren’t many books…”

Like many families in his village, Diego’s home has almost no children’s books. The nearest library or resource center is hours away, and most households own only a handful of books. But this year, Diego discovered something new.

“I like soccer, planting, and farming. I work in the fields planting radishes, corn, and a bit of everything. In my community there aren’t many books, but with the AnGo app I can read many different stories, learn more about animals, and better understand what I read.”

That access changed everything for him.

“Before, I didn’t like reading,” he said. “But with the AnGo app I learned and now I enjoy it.”

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A Teen Leader Lighting the Way

As an AnGo Ambassador, Diego doesn’t just read for himself. He guides his younger brother and cousins through stories, illustrations, and comprehension questions. Sometimes they read together after he finishes in the fields. Other times, children find him at home, asking if he can show them a new story.

“I’ve used it with my younger brother and my cousins,” Diego shared. “It has helped us not only read more but also understand the stories better. The app has helped me express myself more clearly and draw conclusions from what I read.”

He is already seeing changes in the children he teaches—more confidence, deeper understanding, and a growing joy in reading aloud. And somewhere in the process of helping others learn, Diego discovered something unexpected: he enjoys reading, too.

One Teen. One App. A Community Growing Through Stories.

Moments like this remind us why AnGo matters. In places where books are rare, a single story can open a door.

This year, more than 20,000 learners in rural Central America accessed that door through AnGo. And through young leaders like Diego, the impact is spreading household by household.

Project Alianza is proud to stand beside students, families, and youth ambassadors who are reshaping what literacy looks like in rural communities. Thank you for being part of this growing circle of readers, mentors, and dreamers.

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