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Reading Corps is BiftuSpark's flagship program: level-based reading support for children in government schools across Ethiopia. We assess every child individually, group them by reading level (not grade), and give them 45 minutes of daily practice with a trained local tutor throughout the school year.

The first pilot runs in Assela, Oromia in the 2026/27 Ethiopian school year - five schools, up to 600 children. The program is based on Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL), a methodology tested in randomized trials and already adopted in Ethiopia through the Ministry of Education.

The first pilot is in Assela, Arsi Zone, Oromia. BiftuSpark intends to expand to Amhara and SNNP regions as pilot results and funding allow - the reading gap is consistent across all three regions. We chose Assela as the starting point because of existing school relationships and bureau access, not because the problem is larger there.

In a typical Grade 2 class in Assela, children can span all five reading levels - from Beginner (not yet recognizing letters) to Story (reading connected text with understanding). A standard lesson moves at one pace for everyone, which means children at the bottom fall further behind each week.

Reading Corps gives each child a short individual reading check, places them at one of five levels, groups children with others at the same level, and runs 45 minutes of structured daily practice matched to where each group actually is. The curriculum moves when the children move - not when the calendar does.

Reading fluency by Grade 3 is the strongest single predictor of whether a child completes primary school. Children who cannot read at grade level by that point drop out at 4 the rate of those who can. Every other subject - math, science, history - eventually requires reading. The window to close the gap at low cost is Grades 1-4. After that, remediation costs 5-10 more per learning gain.

See the full case for reading support →

Not yet. BiftuSpark is pre-launch. We are a legally registered U.S. 501(c)(3) with working bureau relationships and a program design in place. Safeguarding policy, partnership agreements, and full board formation are still in progress before the first session begins. The target start is the 2026/27 Ethiopian school year (late 2026). See the current launch status →

No - and we say so intentionally. Reading Corps adapts Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL), developed by Pratham in India and evaluated in randomized controlled trials with J-PAL over nearly two decades. TaRL Africa has already adapted it for the Ethiopian context. We chose an existing, well-tested model on purpose rather than designing something new from scratch.

Gifts are processed securely through Give Lively, our third-party giving platform. You can give a one-time gift or set up a monthly recurring donation. We accept credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, Venmo, and bank transfers through the platform. Give now →

Yes. Monthly giving is our preferred form of support - it lets us plan the program cycle with confidence. $25/month sponsors one child through the full 12-month Reading Corps cycle. You can set up, change, or cancel monthly giving at any time through Give Lively or by emailing info@biftuspark.org. Learn about the Reading Corps Circle →

Yes. Give Lively sends an automated email receipt immediately after your gift is processed. This receipt serves as your official charitable contribution acknowledgment for U.S. tax purposes. If you did not receive a receipt, check your spam folder first, then email info@biftuspark.org and we will send one manually.

Donations received before the first pilot launches are held for the first cycle. We do not transfer funds to Ethiopia until the legal pathway for doing so is finalized and posted on our transparency page. If the pilot has not launched within twelve months of your gift, you may redirect it to another organization or request a full refund by emailing info@biftuspark.org.

Yes. Sponsoring a full reading package - one school, one tutor team for a full cycle - is available starting at $1,000. You receive a named update in the cycle report for that school. See sponsorship options →

Yes, at any time. Log in to your Give Lively account to manage your recurring gift, or email info@biftuspark.org and we will handle the change for you. We will confirm by email when the change has been made.

Yes. Biftuspark Inc. is a U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity. Donations made through our giving platform are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by U.S. law. Your Give Lively receipt serves as the documentation. Consult a tax advisor about your specific situation.

Our Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 99-3210631. Legal name: Biftuspark Inc. This is what your employer's matching gift program will need. See matching gift instructions →

Biftuspark Inc.
221 East Main Street, Unit #177
East Brookfield, MA 01515
United States

Many employers match gifts to registered 501(c)(3) organizations. Check with your HR or CSR department, provide our EIN (99-3210631), and follow their matching process. We confirm matches directly with employers when requested. Full matching gift guide →

Give Lively accepts international credit and debit cards. Whether a donation from outside the U.S. is tax-deductible in your country depends on your local laws. We are only a registered U.S. charity and cannot provide tax advice for other jurisdictions. Consult a local tax advisor.

All annual filings (IRS Form 990), cycle budget reports, and financial summaries are published on our financial transparency page as they are filed. We are pre-launch and have not yet filed a 990 - that will change after our first full tax year. Our pre-launch financials are published there now.

Phase 1 targets up to 600 children across five government schools in Assela, Arsi Zone, Oromia - grades 2-4. Each school will have approximately 6 trained local tutors running level-based groups through the school year.

Every child is assessed individually at baseline (month 1) and endline (month 12) using EGRA-adapted tools in their school's language of instruction. A mentor independently re-tests a random sample of at least 20% of children at endline. A bureau supervisor participates in the verification. We set the expansion threshold - 40% of children moving up at least one reading level - before the cycle starts, not after we see the data. Results and spending are published together in the cycle report.

Teaching at the Right Level was developed by Pratham in India and evaluated in multiple large-scale randomized controlled trials with J-PAL researchers, showing effect sizes of +0.1 to +0.7 standard deviations in learning gains. The Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel (World Bank, UNESCO, UK FCDO) lists level-based instruction among the most cost-effective education interventions documented globally. TaRL Africa operates in Ethiopia through the Ministry of Education.

See the full evidence section →

The first pilot is in Oromia (Assela). BiftuSpark intends to expand to Amhara and SNNP as pilot results and funding allow. The reading gap is documented and consistent across all three regions - Grade 2 oral reading fluency is below 12% in each. Expansion follows demonstrated results from the Assela cycle, not a fundraising target.

Reading Corps runs in government schools during agreed hours with bureau sign-off on the partnership. Bureau supervisors participate in endline verification. This is by design - the long-term goal is bureau adoption of level-based instruction without external funding. We treat the bureau as a participant in the process, not an audience for a report. Formal partnership agreements will be posted on the transparency page when finalized.

Yes. We are actively seeking foundation and institutional funding for Phase 1. We are seeking funders focused on early literacy, East Africa, girls' education, and school reading support. If your organization may be a fit, email info@biftuspark.org with a brief description of your giving areas. How to introduce a funder →

We offer verified program results (independent endline re-test), line-item financial reporting in USD and ETB, direct access to program leadership, participation in site visits, and a named position in cycle reports. We are a small organization - a funder who joins now shapes the program's early design, not just its funding. See what we offer funders →

Yes. We offer Reading Corps Circle sponsorships - branded support for the program with naming in publications and donor reports. This is not cause-marketing. We are not selling brand visibility in exchange for a small gift; we are looking for companies whose values align with what we actually do. See brand partnership options →

The easiest way: a warm email introduction to info@biftuspark.org. Or use our funder introduction page to tell us about the funder first - we will prepare a brief tailored to their focus areas before the introduction is made. Submit a funder introduction →

First, check that your card details are correct and that your billing address matches what your bank has on file. If the error persists, try a different browser or incognito window. Give Lively also accepts PayPal and Venmo as alternatives. If you're still having trouble, email info@biftuspark.org with the date and approximate amount, and we will investigate.

Check your spam/junk folder - Give Lively receipts occasionally land there. If it's not there, email info@biftuspark.org with the date and amount of your gift and we will send a receipt manually within one business day.

Email info@biftuspark.org right away with the date and amount. We will verify the charge with Give Lively and issue a refund for the duplicate within 5-10 business days.

Email info@biftuspark.org with the page URL and a description of what you expected versus what happened. For security issues, use our responsible disclosure process instead.

Volunteer access is provided after your application is reviewed and approved. If you have already applied and need your access link, email info@biftuspark.org with the name and email you used to apply. Apply to volunteer →

Yes. BiftuSpark is entirely volunteer-led during the pre-launch phase. We have open roles in curriculum development, communications, fundraising, data analysis, and Ethiopia program operations. All roles are remote except field coordination. Apply to volunteer →

Reading Corps tutors are recruited from the local community in Assela - tutoring happens in schools during the school day, so the role requires being locally based. Tutors are paid a stipend, not volunteer positions. If you are based in Assela or Arsi Zone and interested, email info@biftuspark.org - tutor recruitment opens a few months before the cycle begins.

Yes, and we actively welcome it. You can create a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign through Give Lively and link it to the BiftuSpark page. Birthdays, runs, and team fundraisers are common. We'll support your campaign with materials and a shout-out. Start a fundraiser →

Sign up for Launch Notes - our newsletter covering pre-launch milestones, Ethiopia context, and program updates. We send it when there is something real to report, not on a fixed schedule. Subscribe to Launch Notes →

Email info@biftuspark.org with your outlet, story angle, and deadline. We typically respond to media inquiries within 24 hours on business days. We are pre-launch, so we are happy to discuss the program design and Ethiopia reading context - we ask that coverage note program launch status accurately.

Statistics cited on our site are sourced and attributed - you may use them with the original source cited. Photography and graphics are available for press use with credit to BiftuSpark. Email info@biftuspark.org for a press kit.

We consider speaking opportunities that align with early literacy, Ethiopia education, or evidence-based nonprofit practice. Email info@biftuspark.org with the event name, date, audience, and what you would like covered.

Pre-launch, we do not yet have our own program data. The statistics on our site cite their original sources (EGRA, DHS Ethiopia, UNESCO, World Bank), and we are happy to point you to them directly. After the first cycle closes, aggregate reading level data will be published in the public cycle report. We will not release individually identifiable child data under any circumstances.