Sheeba and the Private Detectives

Program Description

World Learning partnered with the Pakistani enterprise AZ Corp Entertainment to develop a series of educational comic books aimed at Pakistani students in grades two through five.

The series, Sheeba and the Private Detectives, follows a gang of children who travel around Pakistan using science, math, and problem-solving skills to solve mysteries. Written for emerging readers, the stories incorporate rich, evocative vocabulary, as well as humor and adventure while simultaneously integrating key STEM facts. The characters come from diverse backgrounds and represent different ethnicities – presenting opportunities to also tackle concepts of inclusion, ethics, and social justice, while highlighting Pakistan’s amazing geography and rich cultural and historical heritage. The comics encouraged children to read for pleasure while also learning more about the world around them in a context where print resources for children are severely limited. During this 18-month project, funded by the U.K.’s Department for International Development, World Learning reached 12,500 children in 200 schools, including 100 schools in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir where World Learning implemented the Pakistan Reading Project.