Opening Doors
Our Women’s Literacy Programme
Title photo; the doorway to our literacy circle in Jebel Awlia, Khartoum.
Above, our literacy circle in El-Fatih, one of the most deprived districts of greater Khartoum. This photo was taken before last year’s Covid-19 pandemic. Since the onset of the pandemic, our literacy sessions have followed Sudan’s Ministry of Health Covid prevention norms.
For more on Covid-19 in Sudan, see Khartoum Update
This week’s post is the second of three blogposts outlining the work of Women’s Education Partnership in providing educational opportunities for disadvantaged women and girls in Sudan. Find out about our University Scholarship Programme for Young Women, the first post in the series, here:
Opening Doors; Our Women’s Literacy Programme
Our literacy graduates so often talk about the difference being able to read and write makes, not just to their lives but also to those of their families and communities. Literacy, they tell us, opens doors. Doors to the self-confidence and self-esteem inspiring them to explore new life choices, doors to educational opportunities previously denied to them, and to income-generating projects that will lift their families out of poverty.
Get a glimpse of the daily life of our literacy circles in the scenes below, from our booklet, Power to the Powerless through Education.
See more in Literacy Changes Lives
Above, collage of some of our literacy centres in Khartoum. Our literacy programme is based on a grassroots, interactive methodology where participants identify their specific, practical literacy needs. All ages are welcome in a holistic approach to community learning. Our literacy participants are also expected to sit state literacy examinations. Learn more about our scale and reach in:
We recognize the unique cultural context of education in Sudan and always respect the individual needs and cultural sensitivities of our participants. Learn more in:
Keeping People at the Heart of Literacy
Our Motto: Power to the Powerless through Education
Click on the link above for background in English and Spanish to our literacy programme. Below, some scenes from the booklet, which was produced at zero cost by our volunteers.
Our ethos is one of democratic inclusivity. All perspectives and life experiences are shared in an atmosphere of mutual respect and kindness in our literacy circles.
If you are interested in Sudanese proverbs, you might enjoy:
Newfound literacy skills give women self-confidence and a sense of pride, as one of our participants explains so compellingly below:
See more in Voices
Income-generating skills, pictured below, are a key part of our literacy programme.
For more on our income-generating work, see:
Help us open the door to more literacy circles for women in Sudan!
An essential part of our programme is ensuring our literacy workers are trained and refreshed regularly in all the skills they need. Below, some of our literacy workers in in-service training.
Our literacy programme encourages community solidarity and resilience as literacy circles work together to overcome the practical difficulties facing their neighbourhoods in community action projects.
Dynamic teaching methods are at the heart of every literacy session. Below, our participants enjoying a numeracy game. All photos in this blogpost were taken before last year’s Covid-19 pandemic.
Help us to keep our vital work going in these exceptionally challenging times.
This is a literacy and orphans post for
See Community Literacy, Latest News and At a Glance for more about our work.
Women's literacy in Sudan 