Literacy for women : the way out of poverty

The sisters arrived recently (at the end of 2020) in the town of Diouroup, in the district of Fatick in Senegal, and quickly integrated through their knowledge of the language, culture and way of life. At the request of the local people, they set about identifying the services and help they could provide.

In the 15 villages surrounding Diouroup, the sisters organised meetings with various social players: women's associations, parish councils, town councils, regardless of race, gender or religion.

One of the main problems identified by local people is adult education, particularly literacy.

"In Senegal, 48% of the adult population cannot read or write.
In the case of women, this percentage rises to 60%. Illiteracy widens the gap between men and women and is one of the causes of the marginalisation of women". Sister Maria Jesus

Project: to promote literacy and impart the skills needed to empower women in particular.

"Women's literacy is the main tool for escaping poverty and preventing it being passed on from generation to generation. It is essential to
encourage their active participation in their communities and society, and to access better employment opportunities. Sister Maria Jesus

Support for this project will make it possible to : 

- pay the trainers in each village community

- purchase school equipment

- pay for petrol to travel to the villages

- pay for electricity and water for the premises made available to the communities.

Beneficiaries

180 illiterate adults (mainly women) from Diouroup and 15 surrounding villages, divided into communities, each with a trainer.

The training will take place over two years. Literacy courses in French and Serer (a Senegalese language) and basic numeracy courses will take place during the dry season from January to June 2024, when people are more available to study.

Thank you for your support!

With them, thanks to you!