AIL Mobile Literacy For Illiterate Afghan Women and Girls

AIL’s mobile literacy class teaches illiterate Afghan females to read and write at the 4th grade level in 4 months.

The female literacy rate in Afghanistan is one of the lowest in the world.  It has been made worse because there has been war or conflict in Afghanistan since 1979.  Half of the population were refugees for years with little or no access to education.  Schools for girls were closed under the Taliban. The situation is particularly acute for older girls and women who are unable to attend school because they are too old or married or don’t have time to spend years studying.  Because of their illiteracy and lack of knowledge of health, nutrition, basic math, hygiene and many other subjects, the children of these illiterate women suffer and also go uneducated.  Because of ignorance and fear, men are reluctant to have  women use cell phones to communicate  with others and learn because of fear that the phones will be misused.

  In its community-based learning centers for women and children in Afghanistan, the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) has developed a unique, four-month program for illiterate women and older girls utilizing texting over mobile phones, government literacy books and  2000 messages on such topics as health, hygiene, nutrition, basic math, peace, VAW, human rights, democracy, good citizenship and core values.  AIL provides specialized teacher training for teachers of the course.  The teachers teach their students the alphabet, how to use a mobile phone,  how to read and write along with information on many topics.  The students practice texting responses to questions from their teachers over their mobile phones;  in addition they write  out their answers.  Thus far, all of the 1693  previously illiterate Afghan females studying in the program have achieved either third or  fourth grade literacy in only four months; 80% can read and write at the fourth grade level. The students have  learned to use  mobile phones, gained confidence, feel they are now part of society and have gone on to continue their studies either in government schools or in AIL Learning Centers. The students teach other females in their family  the alphabet, how to read and write and how to use a mobile phone. Their families and communities are proud of their achievements, see the positive impact on their children and now value education.

This solution is important for Afghanistan and the world because in a short period of time and with a minimal cost, women and older girls can learn to read and write at a fourth grade level, learn to use a mobile phone, and learn about many topics that will benefit the health and wellbeing of their families, community and nation in many ways.   They learn about human rights and core values, how to be leaders, and different ways to bring peace.  Now that they can read and write, they can continue their education and they, their families and their communities will benefit.  Other countries with a high illiteracy rate can use this solution to bring literacy to all.

Our solution is innovative for many reasons. It builds on the trust that has been achieved by AIL in its community-based approach to education for women to introduce a radically new approach to educating women through mobile phones. It uses existing information (2000 messages on many topics) to teach literacy and educate women on many topics. AIL  trains the best teachers, supervises and monitors them and uses mobile phones in a new way to motivate women and older girls to learn how to read and write at a high level in a short time.

All Afghans want to use a mobile phone to communicate with others.  They want to be part of the 21st century;  using a mobile phone to become literate is a huge motivator. The students quickly learn to use the phone and begin communicating with family and others.   In one case, a student’s fiancé, who was a solider and under attack texted her.  She alerted the government, assistance was sent and lives were saved.  The phone becomes a link to the outside world in addition to being the vehicle by which the women become literate and educated.

Presently we have funding for 10-15 classes each year and we hold classes in 2 provinces of Afghanistan.  We would like to secure more funding and  train more teachers to expand to at least 30 classes per year in four provinces in the next 12 months.  We would like to partner with other Afghan NGOs, which are providing education to women and adolescents, train their teachers to use our materials and supervise and monitor their classes so that more women and adolescents can become literate.

In the next five years, we would like to expand AIL’s mobile literacy classes to train teachers and have 30 classes per year in 13 provinces of Afghanistan.  Thus, at least 13,650 women and older girls would become literate at the 3rd or 4th grade level each year. We want to partner with other educational NGOs in Afghanistan so that they can train even more women and girls with our mobile literacy course.  We want to work with other organizations in Pakistan, Iran and nearby countries to adapt our solution to their country to reduce female illiteracy.

We reach our students through the trust that we have built through providing quality, safe education for women and children in  our community-based  Learning Centers in various provinces. As we train teachers, we will expand the mobile literacy classes in AIL Learning Centers in other provinces in NGOS that know that AIL is providing the classes.. As more communities request through AIL Learning Centers or other NGOS working with AIL in other provinces, they will become aware of the mobile literacy classes and when requested, we will train teachers and hold classes.

Thus far, AIL has held classes for 1661 women and adolescent girls.  In 2018, 245 women and adolescent girls are currently studying in 7 classes and AIL plans to hold at least 3 more classes for 105 students.  AIL has a long waiting list of students for mobile literacy classes and the students are chosen as we have funding and in the order that they have signed up and are eligible (illiterate ).  Most of the students are IDPs, former refugees and primarily rural with some being poor urban.

In 12 months, we expect to hold mobile literacy classes for 1050 additional women and older girls.  In 3 years, we expect to hold classes for 3,150 females, expanding to additional provinces.  Students will continue to be poor urban and rural illiterate women and older girls. We expect that over 80% will be reading and writing at the fourth grade level or above after 4 months and that more than 80% will continue their education.  We also expect that demand will continue to increase.  We expect these results because this is what has happened for the last 7 years.

We have an experienced and highly trained staff of teachers and teacher trainers that is recognized as one of the top education organizations in Afghanistan.  Our staff is very innovative and responds creatively to requests from the community.  We have a diverse staff that works as a team, which is unique in Afghanistan.  Because we are truly community-based, we listen and respond to the needs of the community with innovative, effective education programs.

Each community that we work with contributes in kind for any of the  programs( e,g, education, health , training, leadership, human rights, cultural) that AIL holds in the community.  The community usually contributes space, security, supplies, partial teachers’ salaries.  We raise funds through grants, donations and small income-generating projects.  We believe that we will be able to expand and attract funds because the mobile literacy classes are so unique and the impact is great in a short amount of time.  In addition, AIL provides technical assistance to private projects ( 4 private schools, radio station, TV station) which generate income.  The schools are completely self -sufficient and the radio and TV stations are working towards self-sufficiency and possibly generating profits that can support AIL projects.

If other organizations follow our strategy and curriculum, we know that our solution works effectively and economically to bring literacy quickly to illiterate females.  It transforms their lives.  We need assistance in finding a way to work with other Afghan and international NGOs so that they use our solution in Afghanistan and other countries and provide the finances and translation needed in other countries without trying to “steal” our idea and  do it on their own since they won’t be able to use it effectively.

In Afghanistan, the main barrier is getting International NGOs to believe that an Afghan NGO might have a very effective way to educate illiterate females and that paying AIL to train and oversee mobile literacy classes will help the international NGOs to reach their education goals.  For other countries, we need help finding good NGOs to work with to translate and adapt materials for their cultures.  Overall the most important barrier to expansion is lack of funding. MIT can help with ideas and introductions because it is highly respected by NGOs and the world.