Literacy
The Foundation has a profound interest in literacy efforts. Illiteracy is a major
social problem in Las Terrenas, a town of 20,000 in the fourth poorest province of
the Dominican Republic. About 25% of the general population is under 15 years of
age and even when 75% of the people say that they can read and write 50% left
school after fourth grade, which makes the population of functional illiterates
greater than those who can read and write. Furthermore, two thirds of the
population has not completed school beyond the primary level (1-6 grades).
Illiteracy and poor education are tragic situations and key human rights concerns
as they prevent people from progressing in their formal education, impeding them
from pursuing post-secondary degrees, from receiving technical and professional
training, and facilitating the repetition of the cycle of poverty.
The project’s goal is to implement a one-year literacy and literacy-training project
aimed at eliminating illiteracy in Las Terrenas by means of a) training 20 literacy
trainers in a 5-week period, b) conducting 60 literacy courses of 12-15 weeks
each (or 3 per trainer in a year), c) teaching 1,000 people in one year (or 15-20
people per literacy course), d) teaching literacy courses close to where the target
population live (in the neighborhoods, barrios and hamlets), e) using the successful
Cuban model “Yo, Sí Puedo” with TVs and VCRs, and f) using a grassroots
approach to help empower grassroots organizations such as the Junta de Vecinos
(Neighborhood Boards) and Clubs de Madres (Mothers’ Clubs), using them as
sponsors, recruiters and sustainers of the project.
Although an initial planning meeting was held on this project with government
officials and local people (see here in Spanish) the project is still in need of funding
and resources.
The Foundation has a profound interest in literacy efforts. Illiteracy is a major
social problem in Las Terrenas, a town of 20,000 in the fourth poorest province of
the Dominican Republic. About 25% of the general population is under 15 years of
age and even when 75% of the people say that they can read and write 50% left
school after fourth grade, which makes the population of functional illiterates
greater than those who can read and write. Furthermore, two thirds of the
population has not completed school beyond the primary level (1-6 grades).
Illiteracy and poor education are tragic situations and key human rights concerns
as they prevent people from progressing in their formal education, impeding them
from pursuing post-secondary degrees, from receiving technical and professional
training, and facilitating the repetition of the cycle of poverty.
The project’s goal is to implement a one-year literacy and literacy-training project
aimed at eliminating illiteracy in Las Terrenas by means of a) training 20 literacy
trainers in a 5-week period, b) conducting 60 literacy courses of 12-15 weeks
each (or 3 per trainer in a year), c) teaching 1,000 people in one year (or 15-20
people per literacy course), d) teaching literacy courses close to where the target
population live (in the neighborhoods, barrios and hamlets), e) using the successful
Cuban model “Yo, Sí Puedo” with TVs and VCRs, and f) using a grassroots
approach to help empower grassroots organizations such as the Junta de Vecinos
(Neighborhood Boards) and Clubs de Madres (Mothers’ Clubs), using them as
sponsors, recruiters and sustainers of the project.
Although an initial planning meeting was held on this project with government
officials and local people (see here in Spanish) the project is still in need of funding
and resources.
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Fundación Mahatma Gandhi
Visión Global, Desarrollo Local
Visión Global, Desarrollo Local
Literacy |
"Be the change you wish to
see in the world."
Mahatma Gandhi
see in the world."
Mahatma Gandhi
Top, Lidia, a local
volunteer, teaching
literacy to children.
Below, participants in the
initial planning meeting
with government and local
officials.
volunteer, teaching
literacy to children.
Below, participants in the
initial planning meeting
with government and local
officials.
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| ©2007 Fundacion Mahatma Gandhi. Las Terrenas, Samana Province, Dominican Republic. All rights reserved. |