A Poor Person’s Lifeline to Empowerment is Literacy

By Carol Davis

Literacy is a key tool to fighting poverty. If a poor person is literate, then one is much less likely to be taken advantage of by others. If a poor person considers oneself literate, then that also increases one's self esteem. If a poor person is literate, then one's chances of finding a job, or being successful in one's business is greatly enhanced. If a poor person is literate, one can make more informed decisions about health issues.

I work with poor people in Uganda every day. My goal is to help each one of them out of poverty. I have been working with two different groups of women now for over two years. The women in the group who are literate are able to hold better committee positions within the group. These same women are further ahead in being able to start businesses, keep adequate records for their businesses, and help other women in their group.

We have discovered that the single biggest motivator for women in our group to become literate is the fact that if they complete at least 20 hours of computer training we will find a U.S. email pen pal for them. The fact that this was a prime motivator for those who are illiterate was a surprise to us. But, those who were illiterate figured out that to have an email pen pal, they would have to do three things. First, they would need to become literate in their own language. Second, they would have to learn English and learn to write English well enough to do simple emails. Third, they would actually have to take the computer class and learn basic computer and internet skills. Once they figured this out, there was a dramatic desire to learn English which had never been there before.

Once these women learn English (which is also the official business language in Uganda), then they are excited to discover that they are able to read the orders for the beaded products we buy from them. They can speak directly with volunteers and other trainers who are working with them. They can speak with shopkeepers in their town and be regarded as more educated. They are able to help their own children with their school work (most Ugandan schools teach classes in English). They can examine documents for themselves and not have to rely on others who might be dishonest in interpreting them. If they are Christians, they can read the Bible for themselves and not merely rely on someone else’s interpretation for them. They have immeasurable pride when they are able to sign their full name when receiving money for their beaded product sales instead of merely using their initials or only a fingerprint.

Being able to do all of the above, suddenly changes much in their lives. It changes how they look at themselves. It gives them hope. They can read their doctor’s prescriptions and suddenly realize perhaps they need eyeglasses to see things more clearly. They suddenly have more worth in their own eyes. If they have more worth in their own eyes, then they gain confidence and skills to be better communicators to other people in their lives such as husbands, children, police officers, landlords, shopkeepers, and taxi drivers. They are more likely to want to open a bank account, and more likely to take out a micro-credit loan because they understand the paperwork.

Literacy is the catalyst that propels them forward and gives them the courage and tenacity to tackle the tough issues they face daily. Ultimately, this will defeat poverty. I agree with Kofi Anan who says, “Literacy is at the heart of development. Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.”

Carol Davis is the founder and President of Outreach Uganda, a U.S. based nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower poor people in Uganda, especially women and children. She spends five weeks each summer in Uganda working with two women’s groups. Read more at www.outreachuganda.org.