Global Literacy Matters

Dr. Bello has worked closely with Simmons College in Boston, MA and has been nominated to receive an honorary PhD for the her distinguished work in San Juan del Sur. Dr. Rosa Elena Bello has been a committed health care, adult education, and women's issues activist for almost 20 years in the port of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, working out of the Servicios Medicos Comunales (Community Medical Services). Dr. Bello started Servicios Medicos Comunales as an initiative to provide medical services to residents of San Juan del Sur and expanded the program into an educational project with adult literacy at its core. Building on this foundation, SMC has developed a unique community oriented literacy program. Responding to the request of basic literacy students to pursue secondary education, SMC created the High School Institute, providing free education and catering to the schedules of adults. Although the education is free, a...

In 1958, Dr. A.K. John returned to his hometown of Karthicappally, India, with a plan to launch an adult literacy program. He arrived from the United States bolstered by a new doctorate in theology and inspired by the teachings of world literacy pioneer Dr. Frank C. Laubach. LLET is ProLiteracy's longest continuing program partner -- this year marking the 50th anniversary of our partnership. Today, LLET can point with pride to a ground swell of evidence it has gathered as to the efficacy of adult basic literacy as a tool of solving problems and resolving social injustices. During the past 50 years, LLET has helped tens of thousands of newly literate men and women earn more income, improve family nutrition, and enjoy greater status and influences in the community. In each class, all learners are welcomed without regard for caste or religion. "The problems of illiteracy and poverty transcend social and religious boundaries. Our cause is universal." (Dr. A.K. John) Follow...

Parras, Mexico is a small eclectic town in the middle of the Mexican desert, located East of Saltillo. Sitting on an oasis in a dry, arid desert, Parras de la Fuente is particularly known for it's winery's and denim factories. In the midst of this small town ProLiteracy's partner, Nueva Vision, has found a unique and innovative way to utilize technology to further their cause and reach a large audience all over the world. The online radio station is maintained and updated daily, reaching over one million listeners. A variety of Spanish and English music is played and there are weekly discussions regarding social issues such as: literacy and education, political and legislative updates, cultural fairs and local events hosted by Nueva Vision, and interviews with other non-governmental organizations (NGO's) in Mexico and South America via Skype. " Radio Imagina " is run on a small lap top computer out of the "C...

Operation Upgrade is the oldest literacy NGO in South Africa. It was founded in 1966 with the active leadership of Frank Laubach, founder of Laubach Literacy International. Based in the city of Durban, Operation Upgrade emphasizes native language and English literacy within the context of varied community and institutional structures, including squatter slums, rural villages, impoverished towns, 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 facilitators throughout the country, the organization battles the problems of poverty, malnutrition, and HIV/AIDS through literacy development.UNESCO has invited Operation Upgrade (OU),’s historic partner in South Africa, to participate in the Global Action Week 2009 ( April 20 to 26) in Paris. Pinky Peterson (Itumeleng Lebajoa) , the KwaNibela Programme Manager, and Eunice Ngema, an OU literacy learner, will be pr...

"Literacy helped us understand our own surroundings and our own power as individuals. We learned about our rights and potential." - Adult Learners, Bangladesh

Every day we at ProLiteracy Worldwide are amazed by the new and innovative ways our partners around the globe find to help more people with their literacy programs. We hear of heartwarming stories of how people’s lives have been transformed through these programs. Welcome to ProLiteracy’s International Programs blog. Through this blog, we wish to share with you the joys and successes of literacy that people are experiencing around the world. In addition, this blog will serve as a place to share current news, reports and information pertaining to literacy issues. We would like to welcome all of you to our blog. Your participation is invaluable to us.

ProLiteracy champions the power of literacy to improve the lives of adults and their families, communities, and societies. We envision a world in which everyone can read, write, compute, and use technology to lead healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives. Our international partners champion the power of literacy every day. One of our spotlight programs is MICA (micro c redi t in Africa), a non governmental organization devoted to alleviating poverty in Niger by educating and empowering women. Niger is estimated to be one of the poorest countries in the world with 61% of the population living on less than one dollar per day. Women comprise two-thirds of that population. The literacy statistics are just as sobering -only 28.7% of the population can read or write. MICA is currently providing opportunities for 2,744 women to engage in commercial ventures through its women's literacy and micro enterprise programs as well as leadership workshops, AIDS education, job skill training, fi...