Our Work - Rural Women Literacy Class
A Little Story from Literacy Class Student
A simple mathematics of addition has made me a competent mother in my child’s heart, "Mom, you are great!" This is because of Aide et Action, CDCFR and Ms. Ma my teacher. Half a year ago, I was still an illiterate, able to do nothing for my child's learning. I remember once my child ran to me excitedly and asked, "Mom, what's the solution for 18+38?" I was shocked and didn’t know how to respond. "Go away, I am busy." But inside my heart I whispered, "Sorry son, I do not know." Through the literacy classes, I learned a lot of knowledge, now I am able to teach my child and I am so satisfied.
Yang Defeng, 40 years old
A summary from "Transforming Women's Life"
Rural Women Literacy Class
Context
In the vast rural areas of China, the education level of women is generally lower than men’s, setting them at a disadvantaged position both in the family and society. Aide et Action are concerned about the education conditions of women living in the poverty-stricken countryside. Through offering them opportunities of re-education and training, we want to improve their capabilities in self-development and their status in families and societies.
Program
In 2006, in cooperation with the Cultural Development Center for Rural Women (CDCFR), and under the auspices of the Women’s Federation, we carried out the Rural Women Literacy Class project in Gansu, Ningxia and Guizhou. The project involved training literacy teachers, writing textbooks and the syllabus, and conducting women literacy classes.
Apart from teaching common Chinese characters and simple mathematics, the class included a livelihood course, comprising of law, the protection of women’s rights, hygiene knowledge and agricultural techniques. The content is simple but practical, and hence widely popular among the women. At the end of the course, new learners have to take examinations. Meanwhile, AEA keep records of the teaching progress and students’ feedback, which will be used to modify the textbooks and the syllabus for a more practical and quality education.
In August 2009, AEA organized the second round literacy teacher training session in Yangling, Xi’an. Two women literacy classes have also been launched in Ningxia in November, with 60 women participants. The classes will end in June 2010.
Development Strategy of Women Literacy Class
A comprehensive literacy strategy is paramount to tackle the huge illiterate women population. With the funding support of HEC au féminin, AEA has begun a new project titled “the Strategy for Illiterate Women Coping with Globalization Risks” to better equip rural women with skills and knowledge to address today’s challenges. On June 2009, AEA, the Literacy Resources Center for Girls and Women in China, Dr. Wu Qing of CDCFR, scholars and primary literacy workers conducted the first literacy conference, where current literacy policies and situation in China were reviewed and an advocacy outline of illiterate women empowerment was formulated.
To practice and test the advocacy outline, we started 3 women literacy classes in Luodian County of Guizhou Province in November 2009. Teachers of the literacy classes are required to implement concepts and suggestions made in the outline into their lessons. Feedback and suggestions will be collected for analysis.