The International Day of Education, marked each January 24, recognizes education as a human right and a public good. For many adults in Rwanda, that right was out of reach. Here is how illiteracy affects daily life, what changes when a person learns to read, and how Azizi Life’s adult literacy program helps open that door.
What Is the International Day of Education?
It is the recognition of education as a “human right, a public good, and a public responsibility,” observed each year on January 24th by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
According to the UN, over 265 million children are out of school, which can be caused by factors including poverty, violence, child marriage, cultural norms, poor infrastructure, and overall health.
How Illiteracy Affects Daily Life
Understanding how illiteracy affects life helps explain why literacy is so transformative. Illiteracy can affect adults in at least three ways:
- It hinders progress and opportunities. Without the ability to read and write, adults may not be able to fully participate in society or find suitable employment.
- It creates a loss of confidentiality and a risk of being taken advantage of. Adults who cannot read or sign documents on their own must rely on others, which reduces privacy and increases the risk of being misled.
- It causes communication problems. Adults who cannot read or write struggle with written communication, which makes many daily interactions difficult. We first wrote about these challenges in our Freedom from Illiteracy blog back in 2017.
Life After Becoming Literate
Once literacy opens those doors, daily life changes. Graduates gain the ability to participate in their children’s education, read road signs, open a bank account and fill out documents, read and write instructions, and receive dignified work, no longer feeling inferior to others. Real-life stories like Florida’s journey show how transformation can begin and ripple out for generations.
“One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution.”
― (Malala Yousafzai)
Venantie Musigirende, Azizi Life Impact Director, shares, “Learning to read and write can significantly change a person’s life, and Azizi Life tries to do just that through the Adult Literacy Program.” Azizi Life’s adult literacy program runs classes to help adults in Rwanda learn how to read and write. The materials also educate students about health, nutrition, human rights, clean water, and disease prevention. The course is free for all students, so Azizi Life depends on donations to run the program.
How Can You Help?
- $20 sponsors one literacy student’s tuition
- $60 sponsors three students
- $100 sponsors five students
- $200 sponsors ten students
- $700 sponsors a whole class of thirty-five students
Hundreds of students are ready to learn to read and write through Azizi Life’s literacy program in Rwanda. Your gift can open the door.