To nurture curiosity you have to help people enjoy learning. An easy way to do that is through stories.

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In Nicaragua, poor communities have virtually no access to books, especially children books. Unsurprisingly, literacy and reading comprehension are low. This, combined with rote instruction common in classrooms with undertrained teachers, means children have few opportunities to develop their love of learning.

The Curiosity Circle’s literacy project is named after a popular cheer in the city of León: “¡Viva León Jodido!”, which basically translates to “Long Live León, H*** Yeah!” We want that too, but we made a slight change: “Long Live León Reading!”

The project’s goal is to promote a culture of reading in homes and schools. We lead weekly story hours in public parks, schools, after-school daycares, and in popular community hangouts.  The storyteller introduces new books, models how to read in an engaging way, and teaches caregivers how to use stories to explore kids’ interests.  They also pepper in puppet shows, skits, and celebrations of cultural holidays.

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It costs $30 a month to sponsor an afternoon of stories. Join The Curiosity Circle by becoming a monthly donor.