A visit to the Iacy Vaz Fagundes school, tucked away on a side street in the Federação neighborhood of Salvador, Brazil, quickly reveals the challenges faced by vulnerable students. In one of the classrooms, a learner from the City Council’s Learning Support Program (PAAP) was working with two girls aged 9 and 10. Despite being old enough to read and understand simple texts, they couldn’t even associate the sound of the vowel “A” with words like “amor” (love), “abacaxi” (pineapple), and “açúcar” (sugar). Witnessing this, one can’t help but wonder about the future jobs and lives these girls will have if they continue to struggle with basic reading skills, which are essential for learning a wide range of subjects.