Literacy Brings Hope

Balkh: 31 December 2015 – Around 200 girls and young women finalized their 9-month basic literacy education courses and received their official certificates.
The literacy courses were professionally organized by the Afghan National Association for Adult Education (ANAFAE) with the support of DVV International.
Around 25 – 30 students enrolled in each literacy education course. Ten female Literacy Education Courses were held across the Balkh province. Totally some 270 young girls and women were enrolled at the beginning but 78 of them unfortunately missed their classes, due to different reasons, such as giving birth, sickness and they migrated to other places. The literacy courses were supervised by ANAFAE and the Provincial Literacy Department.
Most the female students normally stay and work in their households only. Most of them have never been to school. Besides reading and writing, the young women got encouraged to reflect on their role in family and community life. They improved their knowledge in health and hygiene and developed ideas for their own economic activity.

ANAFAE Literacy Programme Manager, Hayatullah Mirzayar, underlined that these literacy education courses bring new hope and priorities to women and their families in remote areas, as they are able to gather and share knowledge and insights into the world which surrounds them. New priorities are shared with peers and the rural areas are connected with urban areas and knowledge gives strength to all women of Afghanistan.
Fatima, 48, one of the older graduates, said “Female Literacy Courses are playing an important role in the education of women in remote areas. – Thanks to ANAFAE and my teacher, now I can read, write and understand signs. She added.

In Balkh province, ANAFAE provided learning materials, including textbooks and pens/pencils to all students and teachers and some basic equipment for the classrooms.
All teachers of the literacy education courses received 30 days of Training by ANAFAE.
The Deputy Literacy Minister of MoE expressed his appreciation for the professional support of ANAFAE and DVV International which are both involved in the literacy education of families and young women since 2005.