WE HAVE DONE IT!!!! We have raised our target of £14,000 for Malawi – in fact we have actually raised over £18,000. A big thank you and well done to everyone who has helped. Many many thanks xx
Literacy and Financial Education Programme
“Literacy is not just reading and writing but the ability to write one’s life and read one’s reality”
Paulo Freire, 1985
Aims:
o To empower participants, in particular women with literacy and numeracy skills
o Enable communities and families to discuss important issues such as gender, human rights, health and sanitation
o Enable literate participants to set up their own savings groups and set up small business enterprises.
Background to the Literacy and Financial Education Programme:
The programme began as a three-year pilot programme commenced in 2000 in eight dioceses in three countries: Burundi, Malawi and Sudan. In 2004 the programme continued and expanded into a further two regions in Burundi and three in Malawi. In 2010 the Programme developed into the Mothers’ Union Literacy & Financial Education Programme (LFEP) and now incorporates business skills and savings knowledge and operates in a total of six regions of Sudan and three regions in Malawi. In Burundi the LFEP has now trained 110 facilitators in saving group formation and enterprise development for them to pass onto their literate learners across the country.
Why Literacy and Numeracy?
Learners have identified many reasons for wanting to be literate. Being illiterate has been a major factor in limiting women and girls’ capacity to improve conditions in their homes, families and communities. It has also prevented their full participation in community affairs and administration. In many literacy programmes, numeracy is marginalized, yet numerical tasks are high on the agenda of many learners. The most common numeracy priorities for learners joining circles are to not be cheated at the market, keeping basic accounts, understanding what medicine to give to children and how often and to read instructions on goods.
MULFEP in Burundi
The Mothers’ Union Literacy & Financial Education Programme is operating in all six dioceses in Burundi and has proved highly effective with over 59,000 people achieving accredited learner status since 2000.
Leonie is a member of a group in Nyarumanga, Matana Diocese and one of 15 group members who decided to form a savings and loan association called “Dusengeranire”, which means, “Let’s pray for each other,” No one in the group had ever saved or borrowed money before. In order to create some capital for their group they all worked together by carrying construction materials for a local builder.
With Leonie’s first loan of $7 she brought salt, which is used in almost every Burundian dish. Leonnie immediately found she’d neatly tapped a good source of local income, as people were delighted that they no longer had to travel a long way to market to buy salt. Eventually Leonie made a profit. The primary beneficiaries of Leonie’s success have been her children. “I can pay school fees so my children can go to school.” She said.”All will go to school- I wont keep any at home because I was kept at home and I don’t want that future for them.”
Leonie now works almost full-time on her business and is proud of the new skills she has acquired through the circle.
One diocese that has not managed to initiate as many circles as others is Muyinga. This is changing in 2012 as the other diocese are sacrificially giving of their MULEFEP budgets to begin extending the programme in Muyinga diocese. Firstly the team will begin with literacy & development (MULDP) and then bringing on accredited learners with MULFEP.