By: Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia, Liberia Over 600 rural women farmers in Bong, Grand Bassa, Nimba, Lofa, and Margibi counties are applying newly acquired literacy and numeracy skills after nine (9) months of practical, hands-on training.
The provision of adult literacy and numeracy skills has had a considerable impact on the lives of rural women farmers in cooperatives. It has improved their reading and writing levels, boosted productivity, increased standards of living, and promoted awareness of basic human rights.
“The women are now using pencils and pens to write names on bags of produce they sell,” said NAEAL’s (National Adult Education Association of Liberia) Program Manager, Joseph Yoko.
“NAEAL is grateful to @unwomenliberia and @SwedeninLiberia for the support,” he added.
This NAEAL and UN Women partnership on vocational and adult literacy skills training for rural women in Liberia ran from November 2021 to December 2202.
The women’s numeracy skills have improved to the extent that they are now able to calculate their goods’ prices, record their income, and report with accuracy.
Beneficiaries also went through three (3) months of business development and financial literacy mentorship.
Their practical skills increased in knowing how to hold a pen or pencil, trace letters, write and read ABC, and sign names (no more use of thumb signatures).
They mastered basic reading, writing, and spelling and can count to a hundred, read billboards, and use and recognize names on cell phones accurately.
