Education is not literacy but is the awakening of consciousness. Education should encompass all-round development, resulting in a well-integrated personality and should enable one to stand on his own feet. Education, as a Mahatma puts it, is the unfoldment of the perfection that is already in man.”
- Muktananda
One of IF’s program partners, Linda Cole, has been working for years in Northern Uganda to improve the lives of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict areas. Her goal is to build social, political and economic equality for women and girls in Africa.
The building was constructed by the community members to house the center so they would not have to sit outside
This is done through supporting existing groups of women, helping them realize their potential. Rather than starting new projects, it is about building on what has already been started by the women themselves.
Because of widespread violence and conflict, many of the women and girls in the region never attended school or only attended for a few years. A large number are unable to read or write and have limited math skills. The government has a plan for adult literacy; however, in many of the more remote areas it is not available. Some of the areas which have government-run adult literacy are in poor shape as lack of funding means unpaid and unmotivated teachers who rarely show up, and no materials. Linda’s group, Community Action Fund for Women in Africa supports teacher salaries and educational materials in several learning centers, including the one supported by IF shown in this photograph. The program is running well, we have over 50 women and a few men attending on a regular basis. At the moment it offers the beginning levels of adult literacy but the goal is to expand into several classes in all of the centers, giving people a chance to develop their knowledge, to see their real potential.
