In late summer, attendance dipped in the women's literacy program in CAR. Instead of the expected 80 students across three centers, 53 students regularly attended classes - 22 students at the Bouar Center, 19 students at the Cantonnier Center, and 12 students at the Gallo Center. This decline was due to the start of the farming season when women play an essential role in agricultural work, and many had to temporarily miss class. 

By fall, attendance rebounded with 84 active students! 

Classes are held three times a week, and each class is three hours long. They follow a structured format similar to classrooms in the United States: students begin by reviewing homework with their instructor, then receive the day’s lesson, ask questions, and finally practice through exercises.  

The women are committed to their education and are highly motivated to learn. They want to read and write well so that they may both proclaim the word of God and thrive in their small businesses. 

These learners have already made huge progress towards these goals! 27 students are now able to read and write their names, and 5 students have started reading the Bible during Sunday worship. These milestones are especially significant, as many students had never entered a classroom before this program or had only attended school briefly as young girls.  

The word has spread about this special opportunity, and new women have joined the program in its second year. 

Naturally, there have also been a few challenges. Program administration can be delayed due to slow financial processes, which are not uncommon in the CAR. Communication between program administrators and LPGM has also faced several hurdles, and there is a current need for French translation to facilitate an upcoming meeting (please reach out to Laura@lutheranpartners.org if you are able to help!). Additionally, more resources such as hymnals and Bibles are needed, requiring additional funding, 

Despite these obstacles, the program continues to change lives and open doors! Your generous gifts make this possible. 

Women’s Literacy Program Manager Jean Paul shares, “We express our gratitude to the LPGM Program Manager, LPGM Executive Director as well as the entire LPGM team and the donors for your spiritual and financial support. We convey to you the thanks of the teachers and the participants.” 

She is the local president of the Women's Movement at the Lutheran Center in Bouar. In her role, she leads women's meetings, represents women at conferences, and provides business guidance and advice to other women. According to Jean Paul, “She is a model woman who encourages other women to participate in this program.” 

Miss Guylaine* is another student who joined the program this year. She sells peanuts, beans, and cassava in her small business.  

Before joining the program, she hadn’t been to school since she was a child. She decided to sign up for the program this year, having watched her peers’ achievements from their participation last year. She observed that the knowledge they gained helped them successfully run their small businesses, so she decided to sign up this year.