SEPTEMBER 1-8, 2006
One of the FAL classes that
were visited by THP & district officials in Kiringente Epicentre
International Literacy Day Celebrations in Uganda
Irene Wasike Muwanguzi, Country Director, THP-Uganda
From September 1 to 8, there was an international Literacy campaign which climaxed on the 8th September with a national celebration. This day is celebrated every year by the international community, and Uganda in particular observed a series of activities during this period.
On the 8th of September, The Hunger Project-Uganda joined the rest of the country, and indeed the world, to celebrate International Literacy Day. Prior to this day, The Hunger Project was one of the international NGOs that was invited by the Ugandan Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development to participate in planning meetings with the Ministry in preparation for this very important activity. The Theme for this day in Uganda was “Literacy for Sustainable National Development."
Consequently, the Government aims to eradicate poverty by dealing with illiteracy among the poor. THP is therefore proud to be associated with this and has been well recognized by the government for organizing the rural poor to participate in Functional Adult Literacy classes (FAL) in addition to children’s education in our epicenters. In Uganda we have graduated over 7,000 FAL learners since inception, and we currently have 4,279 enrolled in classes in all our epicenters, who are due for graduation at a future date. More than 90 percent of these learners are women.
Thus, because the National celebrations were going on at a venue that was in a region where THP’s intervention is absent, the National Ministry mandated THP to lead the activities for celebration of the day at the grassroots levels in the districts of operation in conjunction with various local governments in which our epicenters are located. The activities that were carried out included: Graduation of 360 FAL learners in Kiringente, Mpigi and Kiboga epicenters, community sensitization and awareness meetings in Wakiso epicenter as well as a FAL instructors’ reunion in Iganga.
We also paid special visits to projects of partners who had exhibited good performance by putting what they learn into practice through initiation of income-generating projects. Coupled with access to credit by our partners through African Woman Food Farmer initiative (AWFFI) for women and SPIA credit for men, their businesses were particularly very impressive. They have learnt the art of working together through their FAL classes and particularly established group businesses for income generation. One of the government officials commended these efforts and said that “When many people can read, write and count, they will be able to understand the importance of their health and education. They will be educated about the HIV/AIDS and realize the importance of sending their children to school."
This true observation was attested by a recently released report called The State of Uganda Population Report that links the high rate of maternal mortality that currently stands at 505 per every 100,000 live births and the high population growth rates, which are currently growing at 3.2 percent annually. This has been heightened by, among other things, the low contraceptive use which only stands at 23 percent because most rural and poor women and men can not properly use contraception due to illiteracy.
Therefore, THP is recognized to be playing a big role in the transformation of our rural poor partners by enabling them to achieve literacy towards National development.
Below are some of the pictures for the International
Literacy Day celebrations at our epicenters:
The picture above shows an instructor handing over FAL certificates to one of the FAL graduates on the International Literacy Day celebrations at Kiboga Epicentre.
A FAL class in progress visited during the International Literacy week- 1st- 8th September 2006.
FAL instructors’ reunion to review progress of the program in Iganga Epicentre.
FAL class in progress in Wakiso Epicentre
A FAL learner who never knew how to read and write before attending classes now demonstrates her literacy skills on graduation day in Mpigi Epicentre
A fish pond established by learners with skills gained from FAL classes
Government officials inspecting some of the tie & dye projects done by partners with skills from FAL.
A tailoring project by an AWFFI partner will functional skills from FAL.