The Carib Brewery Limited’s Smalta and Malta brands have donated a total of $30,000.00 towards the NALIS Youth Literacy Programme ($20,000 in cash sponsorship and $10,000 worth of product to be distributed to participants of the programme).

The NALIS Youth Lit Programme, which was established in 2008, provides free literacy classes to persons between the ages nine to 15 with literacy challenges. The programme is conducted for one academic year at the Arima, Chaguanas, Moruga, Maloney, Mayaro, Point Fortin, Port of Spain, Princes Town, St. Helena, St. James, and Sangre Grande Public Libraries.

Since the implementation of this literacy programme, over 550 young adults have improved their literacy skills and received certification. The Adult Tutors Literacy Association (ALTA) has been providing effective literacy instruction to participants. Students for the classes are identified by teachers at various schools in communities. Participants are assessed and assigned to Levels I or II depending on their abilities.

In addition to being taught the basic skills of reading and writing all students are introduced to the services offered at NALIS libraries. They subsequently become registered members and are encouraged to use the library’s HI-LO (High Interest, Low Vocabulary) collection, specifically designed for persons with reading challenges.