ℹ️PAL: The Why

Developing functional and life skills, improving education and supporting mental health.

What is the PAL Foundation and what is its purpose?

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digital divide by forcing schools to close, leaving those without access to digital means further behind in terms of academia and core personal skills.

PAL Foundation has 3 main objectives, developing functional and life skills, improving education and supporting mental health.

Foundational Learning:

• Only 30% of children attending Grade 3 have foundational reading skills and a mere 18% have foundational numeracy skills. Among many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, fewer than 1 in 10 children have foundational learning skills on time (UNICEF).

• In low- and middle-income countries, learning losses to school closures have left up to 70% of 10-year-olds unable to read or understand a simple text, up from 53% pre-pandemic (UNICEF).

• A growing body of evidence shows that COVID-19 has caused high rates of anxiety and depression among children and young people, with some studies finding that girls, adolescents, and those living in rural areas are most likely to experience these problems.

• More than 370 million children globally missed out on school meals during school closures, losing what is for some children, the only reliable source of food and daily nutrition.