India (MNN) – When daily life requires reading almost constantly, illiterate adults face a barrage of frustration and hopelessness. Mission India helps the estimated 287 million illiterate adults in India gain hope, independence, and dignity through education.
Raina Miller with Mission India says, “It’s so much more than an ability to read and write. It’s when they can read and write and when they can gain an education that affects every aspect of their lives.”
A Daily Challenge
The last census was taken in 2011 and showed almost one in four adults to be illiterate. While this number is projected to improve with the next census, there are still many people lacking this basic skill.
Miller notes that it affects almost every area of life. Mission India has heard of people who board buses for travel and then have trouble reaching their destinations since they cannot read street signs. Illiterate adults struggle to sign bank documents or open bank accounts to save money. People might be shortchanged in their paychecks or overpay for services, but because they don’t recognize numbers, they cannot prove disparities. Parents who cannot read face challenges even at the doctor’s office.
(Representative photo courtesy of Ted Erski via Pixabay)
“There’s other cases where a parent will want to take their child to the doctor, and there’s all kinds of barriers. They can’t read the bottle of medication to know how much medicine to give their child. Or we heard about one woman who took her child to the doctor, and they were calling everyone’s number when it was their turn to come back to the doctor’s office. She had taken a number, but she didn’t know what it said. So she didn’t know when she would be able to go back with her child, and she was too humiliated to ask.”
Disparity in Who is Affected
According to the last census in 2011, these issues affect significantly more women than men. Often women are expected to marry young and run the home, so education is seen as less significant. Or in larger families there might only be enough money to send a few children to school and so men are favored.
Additionally, there are more people from lower positions in society who struggle with adult illiteracy. However, with Mission India’s classes, all students are treated with dignity and respect.
“So many of them are from a low caste. They’ve been humiliated their whole lives. They’ve never been seen as able, and for the first time, they’re seen as beloved and welcome. Just the warmth of the teacher and the community is a huge, significant start in even building their confidence.”
A Bible-based Approach
Mission India uses a Bible-based curriculum to teach students to read and write at a fifth-grade level. This level is significant for finding work in India. They also offer health and hygiene training and special classes for entrepreneurship.
(Photo courtesy of Mission India)
Miller says, “In John 10:10, Jesus says He came that we may have life and have it to the full. And we see all of this as part of that. So equipping students with practical skills that meet their everyday needs is a way to bring them life to the full here on earth, not just in heaven, but along the way.”
In addition to opening up the world of education to their learners, Mission India shares the truth of Scripture. Their curriculum uses the Bible as the basis for their texts. This helps students not only learn to read, but learn how to read God’s Word.
Most people who attend the classes do not come from Christian backgrounds. However, Miller shares that on average about 40% of those who graduate the adult literacy classes become followers of Jesus. For those who joined the classes already following the Lord, the ability to read opens up doors to study Scripture on their own.
Join the Work
These classes have the ability to change lives, both now and for eternity.
(Image is courtesy of Mission India)
“One of our biggest prayer requests for adult literacy classes is that as students gain an education, that they would see that it’s Jesus that is providing for them, that it’s through Him that they find joy and hope, and that He is giving them this incredible opportunity. So our prayer is that students find stability, find dignity, find confidence, and that ultimately they see all of that is from Jesus.”
The adult literacy class costs $40 per person. From March 1 to April 30, some friends of Mission India are matching every dollar given to adult literacy classes up to $300,000. So paying $40 for one person to attend classes will actually send two adults to class.
If you’d like to join this work, please visit MissionIndia.org/read.
Representative header photo courtesy of Tep Ro via Pixabay.
