Meet our Members: Pangea Educational Development

Meet the heart of our mission: In our new blog series “Meet our Members”, we shine a light on the impactful work of the members of RME Network, the initiatives they lead, the challenges they overcome, and the innovative solutions they bring to life. You’ll get an inside look at the projects and the passionate individuals behind them driving their mission forward. 

This month, we feature Pangea Educational Development, a US-based not-for-profit-organization with the vision to reach a 100% literate world by 2050 by helping children learn to read and inspiring them to read more often. We spoke to Brenda Apeta, the new Executive Director, who brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to the organization’s mission.  

“Our main objectives are to improve literacy rates by 30% in rural Uganda’s refugee and low-income communities within three years and to provide ongoing support to teachers through educational programs, educator training, and tailored learning materials. Our efforts will empower them with the skills needed to enhance literacy development. 

Current initiatives

This year, we introduced online training in gender-responsive pedagogy for teachers in Imvepi Refugee Camp, in collaboration with GRÓ GEST, supported by UNESCO and hosted by the University of Iceland. 

Additionally, Project Backpack 4, a home-based literacy initiative integrating technology caregiver involvement, and ongoing feedback was introduced to support learners of all ages, incorporating play and peer learning to enhance literacy. By opening a reading space in Imvepi Refugee Settlement, we have been making significant progress in our mission to empower communities and foster literacy. The enthusiasm for inclusive education from both parents and children has been remarkable, with many parents joining our programs to better support their children’s learning.

Impact

Our initiatives have led to 450 young learners reading independently and 98 teachers integrating gender-responsive activities. Adults are also joining to improve literacy, showcasing the program’s success in enhancing learning for all. Our aim is to expand Project Backpack to more communities and launch an online library to further enhance access to educational resources. 

Patrick Matugga, one of our beneficiaries of the Online Gender-Responsive training, says: “Joining the Pangea online gender-responsive training transformed my teaching and personal life. I now give equal attention to all students, boosting girls’ confidence and participation. The training has also taught me to treat my daughters equally, strengthening our family bonds and inspiring community awareness of gender respect.”

Challenges and Opportunities

Resource constraints may affect the quality and scope of our initiatives, which we aim to address through partnerships with other NGOs, government grants, and private donors.  We have learned though, that community engagement is key to our success. We plan to build on this by fostering deeper relationships with our beneficiaries and continuously adapting our programs to meet their needs.

Collaboration

We are a proud member of RME Network since 2020 and hope to benefit from the network of knowledgeable organizations and individuals but also contribute to knowledge creation and distribution based on our own experience and practices. We are interested in collaborations within RME Network to co-develop educational resources, share expertise in program implementation, and enhance the quality and reach of our projects.

Please get in touch if you are interested in collaborating and joining us in our mission. Together, we can create a lasting impact on the educational landscape of the communities we serve.”

Contact:

Pangea Educational Development
Brenda Apeta
brenda.apeta@pangeaeducation.org
+256 774 715 633
www.pangeaeducation.org