For a child, the right book can spark confidence, unlock imagination, and shape a lifelong relationship with learning. That belief is at the heart of the Sandals Foundation’s longstanding partnership with Hands Across the Sea, a leading literacy nonprofit advancing childhood literacy across the Eastern Caribbean. Together, the organizations are expanding targeted literacy support for 1,192 students across five schools in Antigua through the latest phase of the Hands Across the Sea Caribbean Literacy and School Support (CLASS) programme.
Backed by an investment of EC$54,607 from the Sandals Foundation, the initiative has delivered carefully curated collections of brand-new books, specialized literacy resources, and strengthened lending libraries tailored to each participating school’s needs across Antigua. The enhanced spaces are creating vibrant environments where students can engage, explore, and grow.
Across the island, students at TOR Memorial School, St. Michael’s Primary, Urlings Primary, Parham Primary, and Princess Margaret Secondary School are already benefiting from strengthened library spaces supported by librarians, educators, and school teams actively encouraging reading engagement.
“Through our Caribbean Literacy and School Support (CLASS) programme, Hands Across the Sea does far more than place books on shelves,” says Ben Engle, Executive Director of Hands Across the Sea. “We help create or rejuvenate school libraries, train and support literacy champions on the ground, and work alongside educators to ensure resources remain active, relevant, and impactful long after delivery.”
This deeply intentional approach is what makes the partnership especially powerful.
“Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, schools are identified based on need,” continued Engle. “Each school’s collection is thoughtfully assembled to reflect students’ reading levels, classroom realities, and developmental stages. The result is literacy support that is both practical and personal.”
For the Sandals Foundation, the partnership represents an essential component to creating stronger communities.
“Education remains one of the most powerful ways we strengthen communities, and literacy sits at the heart of that journey,” said Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation. “Our partnership with Hands Across the Sea is especially meaningful because it combines shared purpose with proven expertise. Their understanding of the literacy landscape across our region allows us to invest in ways that are thoughtful, strategic, and deeply responsive to the needs of children and educators alike.”
Founded in 2007, Hands Across the Sea has become one of the Eastern Caribbean’s most trusted literacy partners. The organization works directly with schools, educators, Ministries of Education, and local literacy specialists to build meaningful, sustainable reading cultures.
The latest initiative builds on five years of Sandals Foundation partnership with Hands Across the Sea in Antigua, Saint Lucia, and Grenada—outfitting numerous libraries on the islands. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to ensuring more Caribbean children have access to the tools, spaces, and encouragement they need to thrive.
Because every confident reader begins with access, and someone who believes they could become one.