Feature: Literacy program transforming vulnerable adults in Zambia

LUSAKA, July 5 (Xinhua)

In the heart of Kalikiliki Compound, an informal settlement in the Zambian capital of Lusaka, a group of adults, mostly women, are gathered in a classroom, eager to learn how to read and write.

Many of them have never had the opportunity to attend school and have spent most of their lives struggling to communicate and understand the world around them.

Thanks to the adult literacy program run by Shine Zambia, a Zambian charity, these people are now on the path to a better life.

The program provides basic literacy skills to adults who have never been to school or dropped out of school early in their childhood.

Classes are held for two hours every school day and cover a range of subjects including reading, writing and basic math.

For many of these learners, the adult literacy program has been a life-changing experience. "I am now able to write my name, something that I thought was not possible," said Maureen Kabwe, a program participant.

Kabwe, 47, disclosed that she has made significant progress in her reading and writing endeavors since she enrolled in the program about a year ago.

Loveness Siwelwa, 50, said when she was a young girl, she was forced to drop out of school because of a lack of educational support.

"Being able to read and write feels like a rebirth," she said. Another beneficiary of the program Janet Mweembe, 58, explained that she has become more assertive as a result of being able to read and write.

"In the past, interacting with people was a great challenge. But I am now able to facilitate meetings in my community and articulate development issues with confidence," Mweembe said.

For 38-year-old Susan Banda, who dropped out of school in seventh grade more than two decades ago, the adult literacy program is a springboard to a better future.

"The program has paved the way for me to enroll in high school and later go to college to study nursing. I have always dreamed of being a nurse," Banda added.

Further discussions with beneficiaries of the program revealed that they no longer have to rely on others to read labels on food packages and medicines.

Adult learners also expressed gratitude to Shine Zambia's volunteers and staff who they said work tirelessly to create a safe and supportive learning environment for all students.

Shine Zambia was established in 2006 in response to high illiteracy rates among children of primary school age, especially orphans and vulnerable children in low-income areas.

The organization has a Literacy Center in Kalikiliki Compound that has seen more than 1,000 children benefit from a two-year literacy plan.

The adult literacy program is one of the programs run by Shine Zambia. According to Florence Mukuka, Shine Zambia programs coordinator, the program started in 2020 after a substantial number of adults in Kalikiliki Compound and nearby areas expressed interest in learning how to read and write.

Each adult learner contributes 50 Zambian kwacha (about 2.85 U.S. dollars) every month, and the money is invested in teaching aids. "So far, 82 women and eight men have participated in the program," Mukuka said.