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Minority Women's Literacy and Basic Skills Project, Laos |
 Background | Project Overview | Activities | Outcomes and Implications | Resources | Questions PROJECT ACTIVITIES |
 Since
1993, the Minority Women's Literacy and Basic Skills Project has implemented
nonformal education programs for disadvantaged minority women aged 15-45
at 23 community learning centers in seven of Lao's 17 provinces. Because
of almost total lack access to formal education for these groups, due
to physical isolation and language and cultural barriers, this project provides a means to learn in one or two years the basic
elements of what is usually taught in primary school. To introduce numeracy
and literacy, the project uses booklets developed along the lines of the
interests and needs of these ethnic women, such as health, family, income
generation, and civics. In addition to functional literacy in Lao, the
women are trained in important life skills and trade-related activities
such as:
Income-Generating Activities Function-oriented education projects form one of the the basic foundations of the overall program. At 23 centers across the country, ethnic women are taught income generation and marketing skills that build on their traditional knowledge. The women are encouraged to develop and market their traditional regional handicrafts, using modern designs, new dyes, and sales strategies. In addition to income generation, the women's interaction in the marketplace will expand their opportunities to participate in Laotian society. Another benefit of this approach is to use interest in money-making activities as a vehicle for introducing literacy and numeracy, which has benefits in other aspects of daily life. Villagers who did not previously see any benefit in learning Lao became interested when they saw they could apply their literacy skills in selling their products. To help participants continue activities and apply their skills in their villages once they have completed the course, several follow-up projects have been launched. One of these involves a small revolving no-interest loan fund to aid the women in setting up their own businesses, establish gardens, or acquire equipment for income generation such as looms or sewing machines. Some women have also set up their own follow-up strategy groups and cooperatives for pooling resources.
Community Learning Centers Literacy and basic skills classes are conducted at the community learning centers, which are often constructed by the villagers themselves. Some regional centers also provide dormitories for the women and girls who live too far away to travel back and forth to class. Classes are conducted during the dry season when the women are not required to work in the fields, or take place whenever possible at times or locations that accommodate the women's responsibilities at home. Instruction is comprised of two hours of functional literacy and four hours of basic skills, such as weaving, sewing, agricultural information, and so on.
In many regions, students speaking a number of different languages will be participating in the same literacy classes, and communication in the classroom can become a challenge. To deal with this situation, some programs have asked ethnic women who are former participants themselves to become literacy instructors, or teachers often use more advanced students to help explain to the beginners in their mother tongues. A benefit of these multi-lingual, multi-cultural classrooms is that the women meet women from other parts of their region and have the opportunity for intercultural exchange. Quicktime Movie: Class Structure T1 Connection (1.4 MB) Health and Family Information Many ethnic women in Laos traditionally marry at a young age. Because of the severe and unhealthy living conditions in many villages, these young women and their children are particularly vulnerable to illness and disease. In fact, the infant mortality rate in many of these areas is alarmingly high at eight out of every 10 births. For this reason, the project incorporates health education and family planning information to improve the well-being of mothers and children. Training Based on Regional Needs The curriculum of projects in the minority women's program are designed to reflect regional needs and interests in the basic skills training. For example, one program focuses on traditional regional handicrafts like silverworking and embroidery. In another region, where bombs and mines left over from the Vietnam war are still a threat, the local project incorporates a mine advisory and safety program into the basic skills training. Regional Newspapers A supplementary initiative linked to the minority women's project is the production and distribution of regional village newspapers, a project developed by the NGO Ecoles Sans Frontier. The newspaper is distributed in four provinces every three months and contains regional pages with articles written by villagers and local journalists on subjects like agriculture, health, animal husbandry, and minority issues. Because there are few printed materials available in rural areas, the newspaper plays an important role in keeping the newly literate reading. The regional flavor of the publication also catches the interest of women's families and communities, and generally stimulates interest in education and literacy.
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