Global Literacy Matters

In Ethiopia, drinking coffee is more than just a morning routine before running out the door to work. The traditional village-level “ coffee ceremony ” is an integral part of Ethiopian social and cultural life. An invitation to attend a coffee ceremony is considered a mark of friendship or respect. Performing the ceremony is usually done in the presence of a visitor, regardless of the time of day. The coffee beans are roasted and then coffee is usually served with a local snack such as peanuts, popcorn, or barley. The special ceremony is never rushed; it can sometimes take several hours. ProLiteracy partner in Ethiopia, Nurture Education and Development (NED), uses the coffee ceremony as an opportunity for education. During these education sessions, coffee is served while men and women use pictures, skits, songs, or dances to discuss sensitive issues such as individual rights, early marriage, abduction, domestic violence, and female genital mutilation. NED is an Ethiopian in-country gr...

The worldwide HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to expand. According to UNAIDS , 33.3 million people live with HIV, including 2.5 million children. In 2009, some 2.6 million people became newly infected with the virus and an estimated 1.8 million people died from complications from AIDS. The great tragedy of this disease, which has already taken more lives than all casualties from World War II, is that it is largely preventable; furthermore many treatment alternatives can be employed but are not. In those places where there is not a base of shared community knowledge and attitude regarding the realities of HIV/AIDS transmission, prevention, and treatment, the disease will continue to spread at a growing rate. At left, KALA holds a health literacy discussion group with local women in the community Efforts to disseminate medicine and information can make a life-saving difference for millions. Unfortunately, these efforts have limited impact if not accompanied by an effective educational compo...

International Literacy Day South Africa Operation Upgrade Based in the city of Durban, Operation Upgrade emphasizes native languages and English literacy within the context of varied community and institutional structures, including squatter slums, rural villages, impoverished townships and workplaces. Operation Upgrade teaches adults to read in Zulu, Venda, Sepedi, Setswana, Xitsonga , Sesotho, and English . With the help of a growing network of 5,000 trained community facilitators throughout the country, the organization battles the problems of poverty, malnutrition, and HIV/AIDS through literacy based micro-entrepreneurship initiatives and health classes. By donating to ProLiteracy right now, you will help these women and men receive the tools necessary to learn and prosper such as literacy materials and seed money for income generating farming supplies. Our goal is to raise just $220 a day as we countdown to International Literacy Day on September 8, 2009...