Education
Recommendations Towards Improving Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Malaysia
January 26, 2022
Publication
As part of The Asia Foundation’s commitment to supporting sustainable development in Malaysia, with funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Foundation has undertaken a project to support the growth and improvement of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Malaysia. For this initiative, the Foundation… Read more
Scholarships for Girls Education in Cambodia
December 15, 2020
Program Snapshot Post
In Cambodia, scholarships provide important pathways to enable girls to achieve both secondary and university education. The Cambodia Tertiary Scholarship Program is a project of The Asia Foundation in close partnership with KAPE. The program has enabled more than 146 female students from vulnerable families in Kampong Cham province to obtain bache… Read more
Pakistan: Safe Home Initiative
August 23, 2020
Program Snapshot Post
With schools closed due to the Covid-19 lockdown, poor communities lacking access to e-learning facilities in small cities and rural areas were severely impacted. The Safe Home Initiative mitigated the impact of Covid-19 on families disproportionately affected by the pandemic in remote districts of Punjab and Sindh, including Sajawal, Sukkur, Khair… Read more
The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation Expands Partnership to Transform Girls’ Futures in Vietnam and Indonesia
August 3, 2020
News Post
The Asia Foundation and The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation (ELCCF) have renewed their commitment to transforming the future of economically and socially disadvantaged adolescent girls in Vietnam and Indonesia through education and skills development programs. Since the launch of ELCCF’s Scholarship program in Vietnam in 2010, The Asia… Read more
Girls Can Do Anything
January 22, 2020
Blog Post
Michelle Obama came to December’s Grassroots Leaders Roundtable in Vietnam to deliver an urgent message: some of the world’s best minds are going undeveloped because of our failure to educate girls.
Insider Briefing: Girls’ Scholarship Programs in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Events Post
Featuring Meloney Lindberg, Country Representative, Cambodia, The Asia Foundation Todd Wassel, Country Representative, Laos, The Asia Foundation Michael DiGregorio, Country Representative, Vietnam, The Asia Foundation Nikita Desai, Associate Director of East Coast Philanthropy, The Asia Foundation (Moderator)
Life-Changing Scholarship Programs for Girls and Young Women in Vietnam
December 5, 2019
Publication
Educating a girl transforms her life and the lives of those around her to catalyze economic, social, and health benefits with lifelong impact. Providing girls and young women in Vietnam with opportunities to pursue an education and build 21st century skills is one of the most effective ways to support girls and women to exercise their voice and lea… Read more
It’s Time for Large-Scale Investment in Girls’ Education Across Asia
November 20, 2019
Blog Post
Educating girls is one of the most effective ways for countries to achieve their economic potential, improve health, reduce conflict, and save lives. Yet many funders in Asia have been reducing education support, at precisely the time when growing inequality in a number of Asian countries is profoundly affecting girls’ access to education.
Shiseido Empowers Marginalised Young Women in Asia Pacific
October 24, 2019
News Post
Girls Learning & Leading Program Launches in Cambodia Shiseido Asia Pacific, in partnership with The Asia Foundation, officially announces the launch of the Girls Learning & Leading Program (GLL), which aims to equalize access to education, opportunity and mentorship for marginalized women in Southeast Asia. Greater access to education is o… Read more
The Asia Foundation Supports Launch of Education Project in the Philippines
Manila, August 6, 2019
News Post
RTI International, with support from The Asia Foundation, SIL LEAD, and Florida State University, are implementing the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) and the Philippine Department of Education’s (DepEd) ABC+: Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines (ABC+) project. ABC+ is designed to improve education outcomes and… Read more
Enhancing Access to Education for Girls and Young Women
June 12, 2019
Publication
Educating a girl changes her life and the lives of those around her. Education catalyzes a range of economic, social, and health benefits that reach far beyond individual transformation, benefiting families, communities, and entire societies. Providing girls and young women with opportunities to pursue an education is one of the most effective ways… Read more
Investing in Cambodia’s Adolescent Girls
March 13, 2019
Blog Post
Cambodia has a very high rate of labor migration to other countries, and a dramatically changing economic landscape. It also has very high drop-out rates in secondary schools. Cambodia’s state education system has been slowly but steadily improving under a set of ambitious, long-term reforms by the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport…. Read more
The Boeing Company and The Asia Foundation in Vietnam Launch Project to Prepare Young Adults for Careers in IT
Hanoi, February 19, 2019
News Post
The Boeing Company and The Asia Foundation announce a one-year vocational training program in Hanoi and Hai Duong to provide a holistic training program focused on practical information technology skills development for disadvantaged young adults in Hanoi and Hai Duong provinces. The Asia Foundation has been working to support youth in Vietnam, par… Read more
The Asia Foundation Signs MOU to Enhance School Libraries with Cambodia’s Government
Phnom Penh, October 26, 2018
News Post
Today, The Asia Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), and Kampuchean Action for Primary Education (KAPE) to implement the Books for Cambodia program. Over the next five years, the program will distribute high-quality English storybooks and educational resource books to 1,000… Read more
Corruption in Mongolia: A Problem for Youth
September 12, 2018
Blog Post
The year 2007, according to traditional astrology, was the Year of the Golden Pig. It was believed that good fortune would come to families who gave birth during this auspicious time. Regardless of the role that astrology may have played, Mongolia’s annual birth rate grew from 50,000 in 2007 to nearly 90,000 in 2014, and Mongolia today is one of th… Read more
Building Critical Thinking in ASEAN Classrooms
July 18, 2018
Blog Post
Traditional classrooms in ASEAN countries are exceptional for turning out high-performing students, well-skilled in memorization, recitation, and deference to seniority, an approach some say doesn’t equip students for a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and rapidly changing world. According to the World Economic Forum, young people will best succeed in the… Read more
Developing a Moral Compass by Understanding the Human Condition and Appreciating Differing Perspectives: Asia Foundation Trustee Tim Kochis
June 20, 2018
Blog Post
Asia Foundation trustee Tim Kochis in A&S Marquette Magazine In his wide-ranging career, Asia Foundation Trustee Tim Kochis has been a nationally prominent wealth manager and strategic consultant, a six-time author, a philanthropist, and an educator. At U.C. Berkeley, where he cofounded the university’s personal financial planning program, an a… Read more
Philippines: Tourism Industry Training in Senior High Schools
May 30, 2018
Program Snapshot Post
Turo-Turismo is a project run by The Asia Foundation in the Philippines, through our Coalitions for Change (CfC) partnership with the Australian government. Beginning with a pilot program in Bohol in 2014, later expanded to the adjacent island provinces of Cebu and Siquijor in 2016, the tourism-focused training and immersion program prepares high s… Read more
Cambodia: YSEALI STEM Education Regional Workshop
May 1, 2018
Video
In 2018, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) STEM Education Regional Workshop brought together 50 YSEALI members from across ASEAN countries to promote STEM education among youth. Participants in the workshop had an opportunity to participate in informational sessions, discussions on STEM education and challenges, and break-out se… Read more
Myanmar’s Girls Speak Up Against Violence
February 14, 2018
Blog Post
As Myanmar emerges from decades of military rule, challenges surrounding urbanization, governance, and gender-based discrimination are becoming more evident. In this critical transition, a number of organizations are stepping up to ensure that women and girls are heard, including Colorful Girls, a grassroots organization leading a movement to empow… Read more
Transparency, Ethics, and Corruption Issues in Mongolia’s Education Sector
June 5, 2017
Publication
This study of corruption and ethical misconduct in the education sector was conducted in Ulaanbaatar and four aimags: the regional centers Dornod, Darkhan-Uul, Orkhon, and Khovd. A total of 1,240 respondents included 1,120 parents, representing the recipients of education services, and 120 teachers, lecturers, and education sector experts. Parents… Read more
Cross-Border Labor Migration Surges in Cambodia, Raising Risk of Human Trafficking
December 14, 2016
Blog Post
On Monday, Cambodia celebrated a National Day Against Human Trafficking, drawing attention not only to the challenges the country faces, but also to the strides that it has made in combatting trafficking. Last year, Cambodia implemented the first national action plan against trafficking and in June, the U.S. State Department’s annual Trafficking in… Read more
Building an Economic Foundation for Girls in Southern Thailand
October 5, 2016
Blog Post
The High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment, created by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in January 2016, convened alongside the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month where it released its first-ever report. The panel was created to place women’s economic empowerment at the top of the global agenda and the 2030 Agenda for… Read more
5 Lessons on How to Build a Digital Library Program
September 6, 2016
Blog Post
Tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary of International Literacy Day and a half century later there’s much to celebrate. However, one of the persistent problems faced by schools in developing countries still today is a lack of one of the most essential ingredients to encourage reading: engaging children’s books to build literacy from an early age. In… Read more
Despite Opposition, K-12 Education Reform Moves Forward in the Philippines
August 24, 2016
Blog Post
By August, 1.5 million students across the Philippines attended 11th grade for the first time, thanks to the newly established senior high school (SHS), a cornerstone of the country’s long-running K-12 education reform efforts. The education reform debate leading up to this moment had been centered on whether or not to defer implementation of the K… Read more
Where Are India’s Working Women?
March 9, 2016
Blog Post
India is one of the youngest countries in the world, with a significant segment of its 1.2 billion population in the age group of 20-35. By 2020, it is estimated that the average age in the country will be 29. For an economy that is growing at an annual rate of 7 percent…
Photo Blog: Building Digital Libraries in Mongolia
February 10, 2016
Blog Post
Since the end of the socialist regime in the early 1990s, urban migration in Mongolia has continued to play an outsized role in the country’s evolving economic and social identity. With 45 percent of Mongolia’s traditionally nomadic population now living in Ulaanbaatar, public resources, especially those for schools and education, have been stretch… Read more
Int’l Day of the Girl Child: Celebrating the Power of Girls in Vietnam and Across Asia
October 7, 2015
Blog Post
On October 11, global communities will mark the International Day of the Girl Child to celebrate girls’ rights and to recognize the achievements and shortcomings since the launch of the Millennium Development Goals…
A Village of E-books
September 9, 2015
Blog Post
The village of Tanou lies in a quiet corner of Cambodia, about 13 kilometers down a dusty road off National Highway 1 as you head towards the Mekong Delta from Phnom Penh. Trees provide a canopy of shade for most of the way to the village, beating back the blazing sun and screening the vast, partially flooded rice paddies that stretch to the horizon on either side.
Lotus Circle Advisor Janet Montag: “Give Girls a Voice and the Tools to Change Their Lives.”
June 3, 2015
Blog Post
This week in New York City, The Asia Foundation’s fifth annual Lotus Leadership Awards honored two acclaimed women leaders – women’s rights advocate Ranjana Kumari, director of India’s Centre for Social Research, and Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist and author Sheryl WuDunn. In anticipation of the awards gala, In Asia spoke with Lotus Circle Advisor Janet Montag, a philanthropist and community leader widely traveled in Asia and a former trustee of the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh. We asked her what she thinks are the greatest challenges facing women in Asia today.
Educating Young Women in Rural Cambodia
May 20, 2015
Blog Post
The women of Cambodia have made progress in education. From 2004 to 2012, the proportion of women to men in higher education grew from 29 to 38 percent. Yet, as these numbers also show, gender disparity in education persists in Cambodia
American Foreign Policy and American Education
May 13, 2015
Blog Post
Two reports with ungainly titles and ostensibly nothing to do with each other were released by U.S. federal agencies last month. Together, these two reports should provoke a moment of reflection by anyone interested in the future of U.S. foreign policy.
Post-2015 Development Agenda Needs Standalone Goal on Gender Equality
March 4, 2015
Blog Post
It has been more than a century since the world first celebrated March 8 as International Women’s Day. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women when representatives from 189 governments signed the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action…
Former Korea Country Representative David Steinberg Reflects on A Nation in Transition
November 12, 2014
Blog Post
The Asia Foundation marked its 60th anniversary with a special day-long event and gala on November 6 in Seoul, Korea, hosted by former Foreign Minister Han Sung-Joo…
Poll Shows Fighting Corruption Drives Support for Education Reform in Cambodia
October 15, 2014
Blog Post
Earlier this week, Cambodia’s Ministry of Education Youth and Sports (MoEYS) held a second high school exam to provide a second chance for the over 70 percent of 93,000 high school students who failed to pass the first annual national high school exam, held in early August. The passing rate in the first exam…
A Conversation with UN Human Development Report Author Khalid Malik
October 8, 2014
Blog Post
Khalid Malik, lead author of the UNDP Human Development Report, sat down with The Asia Foundation’s Global Communications assistant director, Eelynn Sim, on a recent visit to the Foundation’s headquarters in San Francisco and on the heels of the release of the 2014 report.
A Conversation with World Learning CEO, Development Expert, & Trustee Donald Steinberg
September 10, 2014
Blog Post
In Asia editor Alma Freeman sat down last month with The Asia Foundation’s new trustee, Donald Steinberg, president and CEO of World Learning, and former deputy administrator at the U.S. Agency for International Development, White House Deputy Press Secretary, and U.S. ambassador to Angola.
Providing Children’s Books to A Stable but Fragile Tacloban
July 23, 2014
Blog Post
Last week, Typhoon Rammasun (Glenda in the Philippines) swept through the Philippines, killing nearly 100 people and continued on its deadly path battering China and northern Vietnam. Just 24 hours after Glenda hit the Philippines, I visited Tacloban…
Conversation with Burmese Publisher, Library Advocate U Thant Thaw Kaung
July 9, 2014
Blog Post
Publisher U Thant Thaw Kaung, head of the Myanmar Book Aid and Preservation Foundation and the mobile library project under the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation, recently visited The Asia Foundation’s headquarters in San Francisco as part of a three-week study tour…
Bangladesh’s Development Surprise: A Model for Developing Countries
June 25, 2014
Blog Post
By many metrics, Bangladesh’s development trajectory is a unique success story, especially since the 1990s when democratic rule was reinstated and extensive economic reforms were made. Poverty incidence has fallen from 60 percent to around 30 percent.
Fellow Marcia Czarina Corazon Medina-Guce on Reform in the Philippines
June 25, 2014
Blog Post
In Asia editor Alma Freeman recently interviewed Philippine local governance leader Marcia Czarina Corazon Medina-Guce on President Aquino’s ambitious reform agenda and progress on poverty reduction and inclusive development.
Photo Blog: Improving Access to Information on Waste Management in Mongolia
April 30, 2014
Blog Post
More than half of the 1.2 million residents of Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, live in the city’s sprawling ger areas, and the majority of residents lack access to basic public services such as water, sewage systems, electricity, and safe waste disposal, and educational resources including libraries.
Picturing: The Promise of Libraries in Myanmar
April 2, 2014
Blog Post
Libraries and reading have a special place in Myanmar society. Yangon, the country’s largest city, is teeming with book vendors and libraries. The American Center and British Council libraries were venerated sources of up-to-date publications…
Asia Foundation Launches New Series on Subnational Governance in Myanmar
March 12, 2014
Blog Post
The Asia Foundation just released the first volume of a new discussion paper series that identifies subnational governance issues in Myanmar and how they inform policy and reform processes. Working together with the Myanmar Development Resource Institute’s Centre for Economic and Social Development, this first paper examines decentralization within… Read more
In Cambodia, Culture Shapes Identity, Spurs Economic Growth
February 12, 2014
Blog Post
Last year, the United Nations called for culture to be given top priority in the post-2015 global development agenda, citing its importance to economic growth, social inclusion, equality, and sustainable development. It is difficult to quantify the impact culture has on a nation…
Myanmar’s Libraries: A Potential Catalyst for Community Development
February 5, 2014
Blog Post
Despite five decades of near-isolation, the culture and appetite for education and reading is still very much alive for the people of Myanmar. The country maintains one of the highest literacy rates in Southeast Asia – 92.7 percent, according to government figures.
Credible Reform, Not Shutdown, Needed to End Thailand’s Political Standoff
January 15, 2014
Blog Post
For more than two months, tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have gathered at Democracy Monument and other major intersections throughout Bangkok. Initially, the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), led by former long-time Democrat politician, Suthep Thaugsuban…
In Highly Literate Myanmar, Local Storybooks are Missing from Shelves
September 4, 2013
Blog Post
As we contemplate the triumphs and remaining challenges in improving literacy this International Literacy Day, consider the fascinating case of Myanmar. The country is one of the poorest in Southeast Asia, with decaying infrastructure and an economy that is just now starting to pick up after decades of stagnation.
The Silent Crisis in Timor-Leste’s Development Trajectory
September 4, 2013
Blog Post
As International Literacy Day approaches, the matter of literacy remains an enormous challenge around the world, including in Asia’s youngest nation, Timor-Leste. Amid the competing development agendas for this democratizing, fast-developing, and oil-rich nation, education, and literacy in particular, too often falls by the wayside.
Picturing: A Storybook Partnership
September 4, 2013
Blog Post
In developing countries, one of the impediments to early childhood education is the availability of high-quality, age-appropriate reading material in local languages. Children’s book publishing is limited by the lack of specialized skills among local publishers, authors, and illustrators, and a consumer base that can afford extracurricular books. To address this gap, The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program and Room to Read are partnering to expand access to compelling and culturally relevant early reading material to children in under-served communities throughout developing Asia.
Mongolia’s Young Women Leaders Inspire Merali Scholars
June 19, 2013
Blog Post
On June 9, the Zorig Foundation held its annual Young Women Leaders Event, which brought together 115 young women recipients of the Shirin Pandju Merali scholarship program. The recipients had a chance to meet one another and to hear the experiences of three successful women who rose to the top in spite of barriers…
The Invisible Girl
June 5, 2013
Blog Post
Fourteen million girls under the age of 18 are married every year – one every three seconds. The rates are highest in South Asia, where 46 percent of girls marry before they reach 18. Child marriage can be one of the most devastating forms of violence and discrimination against women.
A Conversation with First Resident U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN
May 29, 2013
Blog Post
In Asia editor Alma Freeman caught up with David Carden, the first resident U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN based in Jakarta, on a recent visit to The Asia Foundation in San Francisco, to discuss ASEAN connectivity, U.S.-ASEAN relations…
Elevating Education for Cambodia’s Growth
April 24, 2013
Blog Post
Yesterday marked the 18th World Book and Copyright Day, first introduced by UNESCO in 1995, in celebration of books, authors, and the joys of reading. It’s also an occasion to reflect on the importance of education, especially as a driver of poverty reduction.
Inaugural LankaCorps Alumni Share Experiences with Sri Lankan Diaspora
March 27, 2013
Blog Post
In July 2012, five strangers – Ann Selvadurai, Sabina Martyn, Seshma Kumararatne, Sahani Chandraratna, and Sivashankar Krishnakumar – boarded a plane to Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, under the auspices of a unique Asia Foundation fellowship program.
How Can Burma’s Libraries Catalyze Development?
February 27, 2013
Blog Post
A delegation from The Asia Foundation, Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL), and International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) spent time in Burma (also known as Myanmar) last week to hear from citizens and representatives from government, civil society, and libraries…
In Post-Conflict Sri Lanka, Language is Essential for Reconciliation
January 16, 2013
Blog Post
As a Canadian of Sri Lankan heritage, I am part of the growing diaspora living in the West who grew up speaking English as my first language. Since arriving in Sri Lanka as a LankaCorps Fellow I have been able to explore my “mother tongue,” taking lessons in both Tamil and Sinhala.
The Legacy of Shirin & Pandju Merali: Reducing Poverty One Girl at a Time
December 12, 2012
Blog Post
When I first met Pandju Merali at his home in Seal Beach, California, in 2010, he told me a story about his life, which is recorded in his memoir, From Africa 2 America. Mr. Merali talked about what it was like growing up as a child of Indian descent in the Congo…
The Heart of the New Burma
November 7, 2012
Blog Post
Rangoon shimmers under a blue sky in mid-October, but the gentle breezes announcing the coming end of the year soften the edge of the heat and allow for the day to ease gracefully into the evening. The city is more spread out than one would expect, with tree-lined streets wrapping around lakes and gardens…
Asia Foundation Presents Books to Burma’s Parliament
October 24, 2012
Blog Post
On October 24, in Nay Pyi Taw, Burma, The Asia Foundation presented a special collection of more than 600 volumes to the Burmese Parliament to help provide information about key democracy and development issues facing the country. The event was attended by U Khin Aung Mint, speaker of the Upper House; Thura U Shwe Mann, speaker of the Lower House o… Read more
Once Out of Reach, University Now Possible for Girls in Rural Vietnam
October 17, 2012
Blog Post
Last month, local headlines in Vietnam announced the government’s much-welcomed decision to earmark an additional $119 million (VND2.5 trillion) to assist with loans to low-income university students in the upcoming academic year. This is certainly good news, because despite Vietnam’s strong economic growth…
Stanford’s Scott Rozelle Examines Data and Education in Rural China
October 17, 2012
Blog Post
Dr. Scott Rozelle posed a difficult question during his presentation at Give2Asia’s 10th Anniversary Forum: What caused wages to rise in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea such that these once-booming manufacturing centers relinquished their first-place manufacturing titles in the 1970s and 1980s to China?
The Island Profiles Inaugural LankaCorps Fellows
October 17, 2012
Blog Post
For Sivashankar Krishnakumar, an electrical engineer from California who is placed with the Foundation of Goodness, organizing the Murali Harmony Cup was a stimulating experience, opening vistas hitherto unexplored. Born in Jaffna, Sivashankar left for the U.S. with his family as a young boy…
Burmese Librarians Discuss Country’s Appetite for Education, Changes Underway
September 26, 2012
Blog Post
The Asia Foundation’s Asian American Exchange unit and Books for Asia are currently conducting a 10-day observation program around northern California for 14 librarians from nine Asian countries. While in San Francisco, In Asia editor Alma Freeman caught up with two librarians from Burma…
In Conversation with BRAC’s Sir Fazle Hasan Abed
September 19, 2012
Blog Post
This week, development pioneer Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of BRAC, the largest nongovernmental development organization in the world, is in Washington, D.C., where he concludes his visit to the U.S. as an Asia Foundation Chang-Lin Tien Distinguished Visiting Fellow.
Bangladesh’s Garment Workers Help Drive Economy, But Not without Sacrifice
September 12, 2012
Blog Post
The industrial zone of Ashulia, just outside of Bangladesh’s sprawling capital, Dhaka, grabbed headlines in mid-June when hundreds of garment workers demanding higher minimum wages shut down over 300 factories. It was the most violent protests the region had experienced since 2010…
Women’s Leadership Critical to Reaching Development Goals in Laos
September 12, 2012
Blog Post
In late August, Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong approved the first-ever national draft strategy on gender; a broad plan designed to increase the number of women in senior positions in government. The strategy is not yet public…
Harnessing Mobile Learning to Advance Global Literacy
September 5, 2012
Blog Post
This International Literacy Day, Sept. 8, 2012, marks the culmination of the United Nations Literacy Decade (UILD), an initiative launched in 2003 to increase literacy levels and develop literate environments worldwide.
In Remote Sabah, Books Can Help Reduce Isolation
September 5, 2012
Blog Post
I recently took a trip into the heart of Malaysian Borneo to visit some of the most remote schools that The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia serves. Borneo is a large island located north of Java, Indonesia. In the spring of 2011, we started a partnership with PACOS Trust…
Neil Armstrong, Southeast Asia, and International Literacy Day
September 5, 2012
Blog Post
Like many, I was saddened to learn of Neil Armstrong’s death in August. He was 82. When Mr. Armstrong made his “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” I was a 12-year-old boy growing up in New Jersey.
VIDEO: Storytime Campaign Reaches 2 Million Children Across Asia
September 5, 2012
Blog Post
In the lead-up to International Literacy Day on September 8, The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program launched Storytime in Asia, a month-long campaign that celebrates the transformative power of children’s books by providing critically needed reading material to some of the world’s poorest students.
Banking on the Poor: Integrating Low Income Populations into Vietnam’s Modern Economy
May 30, 2012
Blog Post
Nearly two decades of market-based development has dramatically changed the way Vietnamese live and work, transforming patterns of personal and commercial saving, borrowing, and lending. By 2011 there were 93 banks…
New Online Campaign Brings Children’s Books to Remote Indonesia
May 2, 2012
Blog Post
Last week, The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia launched an online campaign with Pearson Foundation’s We Give Books initiative to help bring 5,000 new children’s books to schools in rural Indonesia. For each book read online, We Give Books will donate one new book to support…
Be Green. There’s an App for That
April 18, 2012
Blog Post
The wonderful thing about Earth Day is that this annual global celebration of our planet is largely self-organized. There is no overarching organization or government that has been implementing all the projects held on this day for the past 42 years, nor are individuals required by law to plant trees, participate in clean-ups, or host events that promote environmental causes.
Three Tech Advances That May Lead to a More Equitable World
March 28, 2012
Blog Post
“Just because they are poor and isolated doesn’t mean they don’t have the potential to be the next Bill Gates,” said Shahed Keyes, the founder of Subornogram Foundation in Bangladesh, while introducing me to lively students at a school he started on the remote island of Mayadip.
Digital Libraries Expand Access to Information for Lao Citizens
March 28, 2012
Blog Post
Internet users in Laos are estimated at only 7 percent of the population as of 2010, the last time this data was gathered. But, despite how low this seems, that is double the number of users than in 2008. And, as the economy continues to grow, internet usage is steadily climbing in Laos.
Sri Lanka Launches Plan to Become Trilingual Nation
March 28, 2012
Blog Post
Three years after the end of decades-long armed conflict in Sri Lanka, there are new government-sponsored efforts afoot to encourage people to speak both national languages – Sinhala and Tamil – and to promote English as a common link language.
The Power of a Book in Sri Lanka
March 28, 2012
Blog Post
As Sri Lanka emerges from a decades-long civil war, employment opportunities are rapidly shifting from the public to the private and technology sectors, where speaking English is required. But, for many Sri Lankans living in impoverished outskirts or the war-torn North, English-language books are a luxury and remain out of reach.
Deadly Clan Violence Shocks Remote Community in Indonesia
February 22, 2012
Blog Post
In a remote corner of the sprawling Indonesian archipelago, a community is tearing itself apart. On the night of February 11, residents from Pelauw village on Haruku Island in the eastern province of Maluku, turned on their neighbors, hurling homemade bombs and setting hundreds of houses on fire…
O and Sal: The Jaipur Literature Festival in Two Names
January 25, 2012
Blog Post
Oprah Winfrey looked nervous. Making her way across the stage, she stopped to smile for the herd of photographers and then quickly sat down in her chair. Waiting for the applause to die down, she folded her hands in her lap. This was Oprah’s first visit to India; the press has tracked her every move as she traveled across the country…
Luang Prabang Film Festival Inspires and Showcases Lao Filmmakers
January 18, 2012
Blog Post
DVDs of popular Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Hollywood movies are readily available in Laos, but there are very few Lao films and only a small and nascent Lao filmmaking industry. With only a handful of movie theaters in the entire country, many citizens have never been to the cinema, and filmmaking is generally seen as a foreign industry. Not only are there few films about Laos, but even fewer told from a Lao point of view.
Reimagining Education at the Big Ideas Fest
January 11, 2012
Blog Post
For three days in December, individuals from a range of industries gathered at the 3rd Annual Big Ideas Fest to explore the future of education. In a venue overlooking the Pacific Ocean, a stone’s throw from Silicon Valley, teachers, administrators, and representatives from policy and advocacy groups…
Thailand’s Students Return to Classrooms, But Rebuilding Remains a Challenge
December 14, 2011
Blog Post
The flooding that submerged one-third of Thailand this year was the worst the country had seen in 50 years. Sixty-five provinces and over 4 million people have been affected, tens of thousands have lost jobs, and nearly 700 were killed. Nine provinces remain underwater.
Study Abroad Programs: A ‘Sure Thing’ for Development in Indonesia
December 7, 2011
Blog Post
Having worked with Indonesia’s higher education sector since 2000, I have come to believe that studying abroad is as close as one may come to a “sure thing” in Indonesian developmental assistance. Indonesian students and professors studying abroad are exposed to new educational techniques and knowledge…
Stanford, Asia Foundation Launch First Text to Focus on Laws of Timor-Leste
December 7, 2011
Blog Post
Law has little meaning when it is not widely understood. Concepts like “conflict of interest” or “integrity” are used repeatedly in theories and explanations of law, but they are not self-explanatory. Perhaps nowhere is this more the case than in Timor-Leste, where rule of law is in the early stages of institutionalization and not well-understood by most citizens.
What Does 7 Billion Look Like for China and India?
November 9, 2011
Blog Post
As world population reached 7 billion last week, stories about the implications of population growth saturated the media. While total population counts offer broad “sound bite” appeal, the underlying structure of population has far greater socio-economic, political, and environmental implications. Population composition by sex, age, ethnicity, educational attainment, political orientation, or geography matters for everything from school planning to environmental management and even to political stability.
Deep in Jakarta’s Slums, Community Learning Centers Thrive
October 26, 2011
Blog Post
Sitting at the back of the classroom, with one eye on her mobile phone, Shanti looks like a typical Indonesian high school student. But Shanti is not here to learn; instead, she’s a tutor herself. In a makeshift classroom constructed from two old shipping containers stacked on top of each other, Shanti tutors first grade students at the Master Community Learning Center in Depok, on the outskirts of Jakarta. “It’s a great experience,” the 17-year-old says. “I can contribute to the education of Indonesian children as well as help relieve some of the pressure on the learning center.”
Educating Indonesia’s Poorest
October 26, 2011
Blog Post
To mark Indonesia’s National Literacy Day on October 21, The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program distributed 3,250 books to almost 50 Community Learning Centers across Jakarta. Located in low-income neighborhoods, these government-supported centers…
2012 World Bank Development Report: Gender Equality as Smart Economics
October 5, 2011
Blog Post
The phrase “gender equality as smart economics” has become the recent mantra of such powerful women leaders as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet. It is also the rallying cry of the World Bank’s 2012 World Development Report…
Timor-Leste’s President Calls for Redoubling of Nation’s Commitment to Education
September 14, 2011
Blog Post
On September 8, The Asia Foundation commemorated International Literacy Day for the first time in Timor-Leste. The Foundation partnered with the Secretary of State for Youth and Sport, Alola Foundation, Care International, and Timor Aid to host a book fair for primary and secondary students.
Unlocking the Potential of Vietnam’s Libraries
September 7, 2011
Blog Post
Stories of Vietnam’s rapid development make headlines in local and international media regularly these days. In 1985, the average per-capita income in Vietnam was $130, making it one of the five poorest countries in the world. Now, with average incomes over $1,000, Vietnam’s highly literate population…
Q&A: Nepal Library Director Discusses Nation’s Literacy Challenges
September 7, 2011
Blog Post
As the world celebrates International Literacy Day on September 8, The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia officer in Nepal, Shameera Shrestha, caught up with the director of the American Library at the U.S. Embassy of Kathmandu, Prakash Thapa, on where he sees the future of Nepal’s library system…
Family Legacy in Mindanao Inspires Community to Better Education
September 7, 2011
Blog Post
When Ireneo O. Pinzon and his family moved in the 1960s to Isulan, a rural town in Mindanao in the Southern Philippines, not a single library existed. Even 50 years later, the Southern Philippines continues to lag behind the more urban islands to the north.
In Vietnam, What Good is History?
August 24, 2011
Blog Post
Vietnam has just finished its university entrance exam season, with nearly 2 million applicants vying for a coveted spot in some 400 universities and colleges. The competition is fierce; only about one-third of them will be successful. Given the country’s strong traditional dedication to learning, the intense desire by Vietnamese parents to ensure that their children will have more opportunities than they had and will be able to compete in a more globalized world is driving the educational pressure even higher. The legacy of a socialist, polytechnic education system in Vietnam means that students are channeled early into specialized academic areas…
Afghan Education Leaders Find Unexpected Common Ground Visiting Virginia’s Schools
July 27, 2011
Blog Post
As we pulled up to a nondescript office building in Charlottesville, Virginia, a woman on her cell phone waved cheerily to us, confirming we had finally arrived at the right place after a two-hour drive from Washington, D.C., and adventures with wavering GPS signals.
Students from Asia Most Globally Mobile
June 15, 2011
Blog Post
Students from Asia comprise the largest group of globally mobile students around the world (43 percent). Students from China (820,000) represent 25 percent of the global total of international students and over 268,000 Indian students are enrolled in higher education institutions (HEIs) around the world.
For Mongolia’s Rural Girls, University Education Often Out of Reach, Until Now
June 8, 2011
Blog Post
As university students across Mongolia complete final exams this week, 60 girls at two of the top universities in the country came together over the weekend to look back at their first year as recipients of Merali Scholarships.
Hope for Resurgence of Sri Lanka’s North Rests on Education
May 11, 2011
Blog Post
On a recent trip to Sri Lanka, I traveled by car from Colombo to Jaffna, a journey of more than 10 hours, and I discovered a city that seemed quietly determined to move forward. Two years after the devastating civil war between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers ended…
Books Help Transform Indonesia’s Poorest Elementary Schools
April 27, 2011
Blog Post
A year ago, the Leuwiranji Elementary School in West Java was falling down. Located in a remote corner of the district of Bogor, the school’s 177 students come from poor families who are mostly employed in the sand-and-rock harvesting business that supplies a booming construction industry in Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta.