EDC: Bringing basic education to adults in post-war Liberia- Fofee's story

Fofee Ndorbor, 25 years old, a student in EDC's adult basic education classes "ABE" in Liberia.

Liberia’s civil war concluded in 2003, but this 16-year period of strife left the country with significant wounds that have yet to heal. Among the casualties of the conflict was the forced closure of most schools, robbing an entire generation of the chance for a formal education.

This generation has now reached adulthood. And as Liberia embarks on an ambitious effort to revamp education for all—an effort that the country’s Minister of Education has described as "mess to best"—its attempt to improve adult basic education (ABE) may be as important as anything being done in the K–12 sector. Classes in literacy, numeracy, and livelihood skills are not just giving tens of thousands of adults a second chance at an education, they are also fundamentally changing how young adults see themselves.

“You barely have to recruit for adult basic education programs in Liberia because so many people want to go to school,” says EDC’s Sarah Nogueira Sanca, who directed the USAID Advancing Youth Project, an adult basic education and workforce development program, from 2011 to 2017. The project helped more than 22,000 Liberians between the ages of 13 and 35 develop literacy, numeracy, and life and work readiness skills.

EDC's Advancing Youth Learners participants (Fofee is second from left)

Fofee Ndorbor, a 25-year old from Lofa County, spent most of the post-war years finding odd jobs until he learned about the new ABE classes. As part of his training, he learned how to set up a small-scale village savings and loan association (VSLA)—a critical need in his community, which was far away from any organized banks.

The VSLA system is simple, consisting only of a small lockbox and three keys distributed throughout homes in the community. But the process to create and manage one is complex. Over a lengthy training process, trainers from Advancing Youth’s local partners helped Ndorbor and his peers learn how to save and manage funds, track deposits, and develop club policies that promoted transparency. The training made a significant difference: in the first year, Ndorbor’s VSLA collected 216,085 Liberian dollars from 30 contributors.

“People come to borrow money to get a loan,” says Ndorbor. “And when they borrow money, they pay it back with interest, so the money continues to grow in our box.”

Room to Read: How one library changed Habsa’s life

In Tanzania, students face many barriers on the road to quality education. Sometimes, being different is the main barrier. Habsa, a twelve-year-old student in Tanzania, knows this challenge all too well. Habsa has albinism, which brings with it many uncertainties, as there are many albinism killing incidents in Tanzania. “Her life is threatened,” her father explained. “We are so worried that she cannot attend extra classes. We have to make arrangements for her to attend school every day – most of the time we have to escort her to school.”

Habsa is one of the students benefitting from Room to Read’s Literacy Program. After falling ill and staying home for three years, teachers have been very impressed with her progress since returning to school. Magreth, one of her teachers, explained that “using Room to Read’s teaching methodologies, Habsa was able to catch up when she returned to school. She now reads and writes very fast, and with additional books from the library she has been able to perform so well in grade one that she was moved to grade three. “ Habsa explains that her secret to success has been borrowing two books from the library every day to read to her family. The libraries and resources provide children like Habsa with friendly, safe spaces to develop the skills and habit of reading. “Habsa loves to read,” her father said as he smiled. “Before we had electricity, at night she used to read with an oil lamp. She loves the books from the library.” Habsa explains, “ when I grow up I want to be a teacher.”

Founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children®, Room to Read’s innovative model focuses on deep, systemic transformation within schools in low-income countries during two time periods that are most critical in a child’s schooling: early primary school for literacy acquisition and secondary school for girls’ education. Room to Read works in collaboration with local communities, partner organizations and governments to develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children and ensure girls can complete secondary school with the skills necessary to negotiate key life decisions. Room to Read has benefited over 11.5 million children across more than 20,000 communities in 14 countries in Asia and Africa and aims to reach 15 million children by 2020. Learn more at www.roomtoread.org.

Creative Associates International: Helping Girls Find Hope after Boko Haram- Hau'wa's Story

Hau'wa reading with kids

By Chima Onwe and Evelyn Rupert

ADAMAWA, Nigeria — Hau’wa is practicing her breathing. She places her hands on her stomach, inhaling deeply, and counts to 10.

She is seated with classmates in a non-formal learning center in this northern city, where part of her education is devoted to social and emotional learning. The breathing exercise is a tool that helps students learn to control their anger.

The instruction is aimed at helping Hau’wa, 15, cope with the trauma she has already experienced, at the hands of Boko Haram.

Across five states, 1,300 similar non-formal learning centers supported by the Nigeria Education Crisis Response program are helping students like Hau’wa.

With the help of the communities, the program is increasing the availability of safe and protective learning spaces that provide instruction in core academic subjects, wrap-around services like socio-emotional support and life skills for internally displaced and out-of-school children and youth.

In northeastern Nigeria, where Boko Haram has terrorized communities for more than a decade, this programming can encourage healing and build resiliency. By focusing on the overall wellbeing of students, the non-formal learning centers aim to help children regain a sense of normalcy and community and foster educational success.

The program is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and implemented by Creative Associates International in partnership with the International Rescue Committee and more than 30 Nigerian organizations.

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