We had a remarkable year at PILAglobal one that would have felt impossible a few years ago, when we opened our first Nest education space for refugee children in Greece. In virtually every facet of our work partnerships and collaborations, early childhood education and parenting classes, research and advocacy we exceeded our benchmarks. In the last 5 years alone, we’ve grown to provide quality education and parenting classes to 5,000 children and their families in Africa, Europe, the US-Mexico border and Los Angeles.
Yet even as we’ve grown and evolved over this past decade, we remain committed to the core principles that galvanized a small group of preschool teachers in 2014. Staying true to our founding principle that all children are entitled to a high quality education enables us to provide early learning opportunities and care to the families who need it most.
Guided by this belief, our teams provided programs across a staggering range of contexts in 2022:
• In response to the record number of asylumseekers sheltering at the US-Mexico border, we expanded facilities and programs at our Canyon Nest in Tijuana. Now serving up to 300 children ages 3-10 daily, it is the first school of its kind providing free education to these children.
• In partnership with Echo Park Immigration Center, we launched the Los Angeles Parenting Program to serve newly arriving families to the United States. The program offers caretakers a confidential space where they can learn parenting strategies and connect with one another.
• This Fall, we launched our PILAglobal handbook, a guide for organizations and individuals to use to implement their own Nest learning spaces in refugee camps, migrant shelters and communities experiencing displacement.
Of course, we can’t do any of this work alone. New partnerships with Art + Practice, Hauser & Wirth and UCLA are helping to support our teachers, bolster our art programs and facilitate internships for educators-in-training.
The need for PILAglobal has never been greater: there are more displaced people than ever before in human history. Millions of refugee and asylumseeking children are in need of safe learning opportunities. As educators, we know that the early years come at a crucial period of development for the youngest children and that high quality, playbased education can be life-changing for children experiencing trauma and hardship.
That is why we are so thankful to our supporters like you. Your partnership makes what would seem impossible in such difficult circumstances to be not only possible, but a reality. With hearts full of gratitude, we thank you for being on this journey with us.
Sincerely,
Lindsay Weissert
P.S. I love hearing from you. Get in touch with me at lindsay@pilaglobal.org
90% of a child’s brain development occurs between 0-5 years old
A critical development period that sets the foundation for future learning and growth.
3.7 million refugee children are out of school
The UNHCR estimates that nearly half of the world’s 7 million refugee children do not have access to education.
Less than 3% of humanitarian aid goes to education
Virtually none of these funds go to early childhood education.
100 million people were displaced in 2022, the highest level of displacement on record
UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency, Refugee Statistics
Research has shown that high quality education is one of the best investments a society can make, not just for the individual child, but for the meaningful, long-term socio-economic impact it has on the entire community.
In fact, world leaders have recognized the importance of early childhood education by naming it a key United Nations Sustainable Development Goal.
This has been an exciting year of growth for PILAglobal. With new partnerships, expanded facilities and additional program offerings, we’re now providing vital education to a record number of children and families around the globe.
Canyon Nest School underwent a major expansion to better accommodate the record number of migrant families sheltering at the US-Mexico border. The school now serves over 300 children and their families. The expansion also included a new Parenting Program and Parent & Me program in partnership with UNICEF.
In partnership with Echo Park Immigration Center, we launched our first parenting program in the United States.
WITH ART + PRACTICE
We announced a new two-year collaboration with Art + Practice focused on the long-term sustainability of our programs and a shared commitment to providing high quality education to children and families experiencing forced migration and poverty.
WITH UCLA SCHOOL OF EDUCATION & INFORMATION STUDIES
We partnered with UCLA’s Education and Social Transformation undergraduate program to co-develop a global citizenship education program advancing our shared vision for education that centers social justice and access for all.
EDUCATION LAB LA PROJECT WITH HAUSER & WIRTH ART GALLERIES
In partnership with Hauser & Wirth, artist Mark Bradford and students from Grand Arts High School in Los Angeles, we created an exhibit exploring global migration and its humanitarian impact.
TIJUANA, MEXICO
CANYON NEST
NEST NORTE
MOBILE NEST
TIJUANA PARENTING PROGRAM
NEST ATHENS
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
LA PARENTING PROGRAM
HARARE, ZIMBABWE
NEST ZIMBABWE
NEST CONGO
In January of 2018, PILAglobal launched the first Nest – a culturally responsive, play-based early education program for young refugee children in Greece. Nests give children a place to explore, negotiate and cultivate their passions through play and collaborative learning. This type of high quality education can change the course of a child’s life.
Since establishing our first Nest five years ago, we’ve opened 17 additional learning spaces. Now serving more than 5,000 children and families worldwide, the Nests provide safe learning and play opportunities at seven locations throughout Europe, Africa and the USMexico border.
“ The beauty of a Nest goes well beyond the environment; it’s the beauty of witnessing human dignity restored to the world’s most vulnerable families. It’s seeing the best of early childhood education given freely to those who need it most.
- Nicole Mandell, International Volunteer ”
Nests are rooted in the best pedagogical and research-based practices in education. Each Nest is outfitted with open-ended learning materials that inspire curiosity, invention and creative expression. For children who have been separated from the familiarity of their home, the opportunity to be autonomous, make decisions and play freely within a safe, supportive social environment is a significant restorative experience.
The backbone of the Nest is our people. In addition to full-time local teachers, our Nests in Greece and Mexico rely on International Nesters and Local Nesters, all of whom are trained by PILAglobal in trauma-informed practices and pedagogy.
Individuals living in the communities we serve with first-hand knowledge of the values, culture, language and circumstances of the children.
Teachers from around the world who bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise in child development and healing centered practice.
With each new Nest launch, PILAglobal covers initial material and building costs and works with the local community to develop a context-appropriate program. Each Nest is maintained, in part, by the community of Nesters. Ongoing collaboration with local partners ensures our program is responsive to the particular needs of the community over the long term.
10 year-old Nest student Didian* arrived at school full of self-doubt and unwilling to make mistakes. After noticing her repeatedly crumpling up her artwork, Didian’s teachers talked to her about the imperfect and ambiguous nature of art and encouraged her to look for the beauty in her own work. This conversation resonated with Didian – she soon exhibited a new sense of freedom and confidence, as well as an openness to make mistakes and reflect on her frustrations.
Reflecting on Didian’s growth while at the Nest, her teacher explains, “When I met Didian she was a little adult – square and closed-minded. I understand because she came to the shelter with her dad and she’s the oldest sibling. When I said goodbye to her five months later, Didian was a child again.”
The right to learn and play
For over two years, thousands of migrants seeking refuge in the United States — many of them children — have crowded into a network of shelters in Tijuana as two successive U.S. presidential administrations closed almost all access to asylum at the Southwest border.
PILAglobal began working in Tijuana in 2018 to provide quality early childhood education to children at the border who wouldn’t otherwise have access. Following the expansion this summer, the Canyon Nest is now serving 300 children ages 3-10 daily. It is the first school of its kind providing free education to children at a migrant shelter near the US-Mexico border.
At Canyon Nest, collaborative work and play coexist on a campus that is scaled for children. Brazilian Pepper trees, vegetable gardens, pathways and play yards invite exploration and wonder. The environment is warm, child-centered and inclusive. Children feel ownership of their school as they care for it and for each other.
In the classroom, supportive, responsive teachers bring a deep understanding of the lived experience and culture of the children in their care. The consistency, stability, and continuity of warm and nurturing relationships help children find their way from trauma to healing and growth.
“ The Mobile Nest is a peaceful space for our little ones and for parents also. The parent talks help me reflect on the care I am providing to my child and have helped me be more patient. I learned patience because the teacher is kind and patient with me. The teachers help me feel at peace. I am extremely thankful to the teachers for being here for me and my child. ”
– Martha, Mobile Nest ParentA peaceful refuge for families
Nest Norte is a peaceful, child-centered space where young children can relax and play while their parents seek legal counsel at Al Otro Lado, an NGO located just minutes from the San Ysidro Port of Entry in Tijuana, Mexico.
In addition to welcoming children, Nest Norte also provides a private space where caregivers and new parents can take parenting classes, replenish supplies for their families and have some downtime away from their challenging living conditions.
The Mobile Nest, a Parent & Me program in partnership with UNICEF and Centro 32, serves infants, toddlers, and their parents in six shelters across Tijuana. Now in its third year, the program offers opportunities for babies and toddlers to play with their parents in the safety of a school bus designed for children ages 0-3.
Staffed by early childhood teachers and parent educators, the Mobile Parent & Me program also provides parents the opportunity to learn about their children’s development and how they can best support their growth.
“ I learned to be patient with my child and treat her how I want to be treated. I learned to value what we have as parents and that sometimes we forget that we are very important to other people. ”
– Edwin, Parenting Program Participant
The Tijuana Parenting Program provides a confidential and healing centered space where asylum-seeking parents can connect while enhancing parenting skills. Taught by a certified trauma-informed parent educator, the program helps parents feel empowered in their parenting decisions, attuned to their child’s feelings and connected to a supportive community.
Graduates of the program often call it a transformative experience. Many report feeling more joyful and patient as parents and more deeply connected to their children. For those navigating parenthood under stressful and uncertain circumstances, this renewed sense of agency over their parenting choices can be both powerful and grounding.
The Parent & Me Program serves asylumseeking parents and their babies staying at a migrant shelter in Tijuana, Mexico. The bi-weekly program offers a safe, calm and nurturing space where parents can find refuge from the stresses of shelter life and take time to play and bond with their infants and toddlers.
The “Nidito”, or “Little Nest”, is staffed by early childhood teachers and parent educators who facilitate conversation and offer information about child development, helping parents to feel confident in their parenting approach and connected to their little ones.
“ Families come to the Nest to take a break, comfort themselves with a cup of tea, and play with their children in a safe and calm environment. It’s a safe space to be who they are and share their stories. ”
– Maika, Nest Athens VolunteerChoice, voice and collaboration
Greek authorities have moved thousands of refugees from the eastern Aegean islands to the mainland capital of Athens in an effort to improve conditions in overcrowded island camps. Life is intensely difficult for these refugee and migrant children, many who have experienced trauma from fleeing conflict in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.
In partnership with Carry The Future and on-the-ground NGO Action For Education, PILAglobal opened Nest Athens to provide high quality learning opportunities for refugee children in the area.
Now serving nearly 50 children in three sessions each day, Nest Athens offers a warm, consistent, engaging environment where children can safely do what all children have the right to do – play.
Through block-building, art exploration, snack time and storytelling, children have the opportunity to pursue interests, collaborate with adults and children, and find joy in the learning process. Parents are invited to play alongside their children or take part in language classes and educational workshops in an adjoining space.
Nest Zimbabwe student Arnold loves to build houses. Big and small, out of blocks, magnatiles, or even books – Arnold builds houses with anything he can get his hands on, every chance he gets.
Teachers noticed that these dwellings had something in common: they always had four rooms, with only one doll or animal sleeping in each of them.
In reflecting with him about his work, teachers learned that Arnold lives with his extended family in a crowded, one-room house. At the Nest, Arnold plays out his wish – to have his own space – as he constructs houses each day.
In Harare, access to early education is critical to promoting healthy development in orphaned and vulnerable children. Poverty and the challenges that come with food insecurity prevent many children from attending school.
To serve this critical need, PILAglobal has partnered with locally-based NGO I Am Zimbabwe Trust to create Nest Zimbabwe, a school for preschool-aged children located at the I Am Mbare School for Orphans and Vulnerable Children.
Serving 60 preschool-aged children daily, Nest Zimbabwe is equipped with engaging materials that spark a sense of curiosity, enchantment and wonder. The children, who are served two meals a day, delight in learning about themselves, each other, and the world around them the way they learn best — through play.
“ Nest Congo is more than a regular learning space for children. It is a healing venue for so many children whose joy, happiness and hope have been stolen by war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nest Congo is an inexhaustible source of hope for the children attending.
– Amani Matabaro Tom, Founder of Congo Peace SchoolPromoting freedom in learning PILAglobal began working in Mumosho, Democratic Republic of Congo in response to an identified need for a preschool program in the region, especially for children who are orphans or are unattended while their parents struggle to provide for their families.
In partnership with Action Kivu and the Dillon Henry Foundation, PILAglobal created Nest Congo, a preschool at the Congo Peace School serving 84 children ages 4 to 6 daily.
Nest Congo provides foundational early education and a nutritious daily meal to local children who would otherwise not have access to education.
At Nest Congo, nurturing teachers prioritize play, storytelling, and artistic expression, helping each child to develop their own voice and positive sense of self. By creating an environment where children have choice, voice and agency, the Nest Congo empowers its students to become change-makers in their lives and in their community.
“ The LA Parenting Classes offer parents a place to unpack their worries, reflect on their goals, and develop the tools they need to succeed at this important role. It takes a village to parent and we are creating a village that nurtures parents and caregivers. ”
– Glenda Linares, PILAglobal Director of Global ProgramsThis fall, PILAglobal brought its transformative parenting program to immigrants living in Los Angeles. In collaboration with Echo Park Immigration Center, the Los Angeles Parenting Program offers immigrants new to Los Angeles a confidential space where they can learn parenting strategies informed by best practices in trauma, emotional regulation techniques and nonviolent communication.
Similar to the Tijuana Parenting Program, this workshop aims to help parents feel empowered in their parenting decisions, attuned to their child’s feelings, and connected to a community of support.
PILAglobal is proud to partner with the Education and Social Transformation major undergraduate program at UCLA’s School of Education and Information Studies in advancing a vision for education that centers global citizenship, social justice, and access for all.
Our partnership with the Education and Social Transformation undergraduate program centers around the course Pedagogies of Global Citizenship Education. In this course, students complete 40-50 hours of service through PILAglobal working directly with Nest educators and PILAglobal leadership to co-develop curricula and programs, conduct research and data collection, and engage in dialogue and cultural exchanges with refugee/asylum-seeking and migrant children and families.
Students also have the opportunity to deepen their experiential learning through an 80+ hour academic internship with PILAglobal, offered quarterly to 2-3 undergraduates.
“ We believe that every child is entitled to a quality education. PILAglobal’s educational model addresses this need, and the success of that work starts with the teachers.
– Sophia Belsheim, Director of Art + Practice ”
PILAglobal and Art + Practice, a Los Angeles-based foundation, have announced a twoyear collaboration focused on the long-term sustainability of our programs and a shared commitment to providing high quality education to refugee and displaced children and families. As part of our collaboration, Art + Practice will support PILAglobal’s outreach efforts and fund teachers’ salaries from 2022–2024, ensuring our Nests’ teachers can continue to provide high quality education and care to those most in need.
PILAglobal’s teachers are the cornerstone of our programs. Through this generous collaboration with Art + Practice, PILAglobal can continue to ensure that our Nests in Africa, Mexico and Greece are staffed by the local educators who fuel PILAglobal’s work.
Action for Education
Action Kivu
Al Otro Lado
Art + Practice
Baby2Baby
Capitol Group
Carlthorp School
Carry the Future
Cassidy Preschool Centro 32
Choose Love
Echo Park Immigration Center
Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation
Evergreen Community School
Fairy Dust Teaching
Glen Irani Architects
Hauser & Wirth
I am Zimbabwe Trust
Jewish Communal Fund
March Studio
Refugee Health Alliance
Sage & Coombe Architects
Sheppard Mullin
Stanford Medicine Pediatric Advocacy Program
The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation
The San Diego Foundation
UCLA School of Education and Information Studies
UNICEF
Wunderled
100,000+ hours of education provided to children
17 classrooms across 3 continents
1,000+ participants in the parenting programs
43,680 meals served annually at the Nest Congo
5,000+ children and families enrolled
6 Mobile Nest serves 6 shelters, 4 days a week
1,000+ children provided with warm clothing, diapers, wipes
4,000+ supporters committed to PILAglobal’s mission
Lindsay Weissert CEO lindsay@pilaglobal.org
Glenda Linares Global Programs Director glenda@pilaglobal.org
Kaitie O’Brien Pedagogical Chair
Kelly Sullivan Marketing Director kelly@pilaglobal.org
Rachel Lowdermilk Communications Director rachel@pilaglobal.org
Thérèse O’Neill Volunteer Chair
We are deeply grateful to our community for your generous support. Thank you to those who contributed to PILAglobal and supported our fundraising initiatives that keep our Nests and programs financially healthy, empower us to develop new facilities and programs and help us support the communities we serve.
Thérèse O’Neill Board Chair
Maria-Elena Kolovos Secretary
Eileen Logue Treasurer
Kaitie O’Brien Member
Lindsay Weissert Member
Adriana Taboada Member
Contact us to find out how:
Investments
Lindsay Weissert, CEO lindsay@pilaglobal.org
Volunteers
Therese O’Neill, Volunteer Chair/Board Chair therese@pilaglobal.org
Partnerships
Kelly Sullivan, Marketing Director kelly@pilaglobal.org
General Inquiries info@pilaglobal.org
www.pilaglobal.org
@PILAglobal.org
@pilaglobal company/pilaglobal
