No more Illiteracy Project

The quality or condition of being unable to read or write

Why Are We Fighting for No More Illiteracy?

Project 9

Defination of Illiteracy:

It is clear that for some of us there is a complete blind spot to a potential problem in our lives. We often call this an illiteracy. However, isn’t being illiterate simply down to the ability of being unable to read? In the past, yes. Today, though, the term illiteracy can be put towards a whole host of personal issues and errors that you might be dealing with in life. With that in mind, you might not be sure how to properly determine what is an issue, what is a limitation, and what is an outright illiteracy within your own skill set. Basically, illiteracy, defined as the inability to read and write, can have a complex and devastating impact on communities. According to UNESCO, a person is illiterate if they can’t understand and write a simple statement about their daily life. However, illiteracy can also refer to functional illiteracy, which is when someone can’t participate in activities that require literacy to function in their community. Lack of education, lack of access to information, and low standard of living or inability to function in society and live a decent life are some examples that can be used to describe illiteracy.

In opposite to illiteracy is literacy that gives a person the ability to navigate the world with dignity. The ability to read, write, and comprehend is critical to taking control of our own lives and advocating for ourselves, for our families, and for our communities. When people aren’t equipped with those skills, they’re left with limited options in life. We know that literacy is the key that unlocks every other issue our communities face today. Literacy empowers and liberates people. Beyond its importance as part of the right to education, literacy improves lives by expanding capabilities which in turn reduces poverty, increases participation in the labor market and has positive effects on health and sustainable development. When we solve literacy, we solve everything.

Types of Illiteracy in Our Communities:

There are multiple types of illiteracy which can be classified into more than 20 types, but we are just focusing on three major types of illiteracy that are overwhelmingly prevailing in our communities. These include functional illiteracy, cultural illiteracy, and moral illiteracy:

Functional illiteracy: This refers to people’s inability to perform basic reading, writing, and math skills, which can make it difficult to complete daily tasks and hold a job. People who can only read and write in a language other than the main language of their area may also be considered functionally illiterate.
Cultural illiteracy: This refers to a lack of basic information that’s needed to succeed in modern society. People are locking of informational tools that can assist them acquire enough information.
Moral illiteracy: This refers to a lack of knowledge of the evidence and arguments for traditional moral principles and practices. Their traditional values have been encroached by the successive ruling regimes in their attempt to ruin the civilization of this our indigenous people.

The Reasons & Root Causes of Illiteracy in Our Communities:

Here are some of the most frequent causes of illiteracy in our communities:

Educational deprivation that refers to a lack of resources and opportunities for education, particularly in low-income communities.
Parent with little schooling
Inadequate teaching materials such as books at home and poor-quality supplies
Dropping out of the schools due to economic related conditions
Lack of stimulation as to the importance of reading, due to the lack of supportive fundings
Lack of qualified teachers
Overburdened and understaffed schools

Impacts of Illiteracy on Our Communities:

Illiteracy can have many negative effects on a person’s life and society. It can hinder social and economic development, and can lead to several social issues, including:

Economic: Illiteracy can lead to unemployment, poverty, and lower wages. It makes it difficult to access higher-paying jobs or advance in a career and achieve financial stability which can lead to lower productivity and economic losses. According to the World Literacy Foundation, illiterate people globally earn about 35% less than literate employees.
Social: Illiteracy can lead to social isolation, discrimination, and reduced opportunities for personal growth. People with low literacy levels may also struggle with self-esteem and peer connection, which can lead to poor academic behavior and acting out.
Health: Illiteracy can make it difficult to understand medical instructions, access healthcare information, and recognize warning signs. This can lead to inadequate self-care and poor health outcomes.
Promote Civic engagement: illiteracy can also limit a person’s ability to make informed decision in everyday life. For example, people who can’t read may have difficulty filling out forms and applications, understanding government policies, or reading medicine or nutritional labels. They may also be more vulnerable to financial exploitation by unethical advisors or mystical counterfeits.
Poverty: Illiteracy can contribute to a number of social ills that can lead to poverty that can affect people in many issues such as health complications, infant mortality, crime, and social welfare and charity.

Possible Solutions & Recommendations:

Our People in our communities need literacy skills to improve our communities, our economy and our lives. Improved literacy skills benefit not only the struggling readers, but everyone in our community regardless of age, gender, or background. Our people need literacy skill to:

Raise children who have strong literacy skills
Be good employees
To keep themselves and their families healthy
To avoid crimes
To be active in their communities
To advocate for themselves and avoid human rights abuses

Here are some ways to help reduce and eradicate illiteracy:

Early childhood education: Teach children basic reading and writing skills at a young age to help them succeed academically and prevent future illiteracy.
Support educators: Provide teachers with training and support, including access to literacy and teaching techniques, and technology resources.
Create community outreach programs: After-school literacy programs can help children develop skills outside of the classroom.
Read together: Reading with someone who is illiterate can help them overcome illiteracy. You can also share your knowledge of vocabulary.
Invest in education: Education can help end illiteracy and poverty and can positively impact the whole family.
Create supportive environments in schools: Building Schools with durable materials that can promote reading and learning by hosting events, organizing book reviews, and providing affordable books.
Provide education: Some say that free, compulsory, and high-quality education for all children is the only long-term solution. Early childhood education can also help prevent illiteracy by teaching children basic reading and writing skills.
Provide educational resources: Donate books to schools, school supplies, or funds to organizations that fight illiteracy. Books can help develop reading skills at all ages.
You can also create a book bank at your local school, host a book swap, or donate funds to organizations that provide books to children.
Find emergency solutions: For adults who have never had the opportunity to learn to read and write, adult education can help. You can ask your local library for reading primers or find adult education classes for someone who needs them.
Expand volunteering: Individuals and corporations can volunteer with organizations that fight illiteracy, such as helping for tutor students or adults or teach an adult to read.
Provide access to resources: Make educational resources available to underprivileged children, especially in remote areas.
Raise awareness: Run campaigns to highlight the importance of literacy. Students can also organize campaigns to promote education.