WIB marks Literacy and SDG Month with education and reading initiatives

GREAT BAY--The Windward Islands Bank (WIB) is marking Literacy Month and SDG Month by highlighting its continued support for education, reading and learning initiatives across St. Maarten, including direct involvement by team members in local schools.

Throughout September, WIB employees contributed their time to activities aimed at encouraging reading and strengthening learning among young people. At Sister Borgia School, WIB team members provide weekly Dutch-language support to students, helping them strengthen their language skills and develop greater confidence in their learning.

Team members also visited St. Dominic Primary School and St. Joseph School, where they read with students and shared in the experience of discovering stories together. WIB said these interactions demonstrate how simple acts, such as taking the time to read with a child, can reinforce the importance of literacy while creating opportunities for young people to learn, explore and imagine what is possible.

Reading remains one of the foundations of education, supporting learning across subjects while helping children develop the knowledge, confidence and skills they need as they progress through school and prepare for their future.

The employee-led activities form part of WIB’s broader support for education and literacy initiatives in St. Maarten. These include the D.E.A.R. initiative at the University of St. Martin, Reading Festival 2026 and the Beyond Kultura Events Foundation book project, which aims to distribute 600 books to schools and the library across St. Maarten.

WIB also supports locally researched publications that preserve and share the history and heritage of the Dutch Windward Islands, helping ensure that local knowledge is available to future generations.

The bank said its September activities reflect the connection between Literacy Month and Sustainable Development Goal 4, which focuses on Quality Education. They also highlight that sustainable development is not limited to large-scale projects, but can begin with practical actions such as helping a child read, increasing access to books, supporting language development and preserving knowledge.

As Literacy Month and SDG Month come to a close, WIB said the activities of September may end, but the importance of learning, literacy and access to knowledge continues throughout the year.

For WIB, supporting education forms part of its wider commitment to contributing to a community where people have opportunities to learn, grow and build their future.

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