Deborah Patouma is a 27-year-old mother of four and a literacy instructor at the Cantonnier Center in the Central African Republic (CAR). The women's literacy program she supports is still in its pilot stage after being launched by LPGM and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic (ELC-CAR). Officially starting in early 2024, the program aims to combat the sobering reality that only about 25 percent of adult women in CAR can read and write. Over the past year, 80 women and girls in three communities began their literacy journey by learning to read and write in Sango and French.

Throughout the year, Deborah taught crucial literacy skills in the classroom, but her role became more than that. She consistently listened to her students' stories and bore witness to their struggles and triumphs as women. She became a trusted leader by helping her students feel seen and valued. 

One of her stand-out students was Doumba Pélagie, a 25-year-old mother of three children. Living over four miles from the village, she still came to class every day. Doumba’s father didn’t send her to school as a child, and she was fiercely determined to make up for lost time. According to Deborah, she quickly learned to read, write, and count well. Doumba is hoping to continue her studies in the new year, because now that she has been given an opportunity to learn, she doesn’t want to let go.

Deborah also hopes to continue working with the same group of students this year. After building a strong foundation last year, she still has much to teach. She has begun noticing shifts in the moods and attitudes of some of her students as they continue to learn. Many of them hadn’t set foot in a classroom for many years, and they had given up on their dreams of a formal education. The literacy program has given them a second chance to become literate and fresh hope to improve their circumstances. 

Deborah hopes that the reading, writing, and math skills she is teaching will open new doors for her students. For example, she wants them to successfully manage their small businesses, read the bible, and use the hymn book during worship.

Literacy is powerful in more ways than one. It allows women in CAR to fight against gender-based violence and to demand gender justice, gives them a chance to generate income for their families, and helps them to preach and glorify God. 

In fact, Deborah’s own instructor's salary goes towards keeping her children in school, and she is pleased to be able to support her husband with this expense.

Simply put, as women and girls are taught to read and write, they will have a better chance at rising out of poverty and will teach their children, future children, and communities. Invest in a woman’s education, and everyone around her will also benefit.

While the initial plan spanned 12 months and involved 80 beneficiaries, the project has a renewable duration and could extend to other cities, having major ripple effects across CAR. This will depend upon sustained financial support and prayers from partners like you.

Learn more about the program