Adolescent Girls' Literacy Project
AGLIT was established in 1997 as a response to HIV/AIDS infection rates, which were seen to be highest among girls without access to education. The project aimed to offer 2000 girls from the south of Malawi an informal literacy course including discussion of important health issues.
However, since its inception the programme has expanded rapidly to involve girls in a variety of activities, including reading circles, sport and income generation. 150 youth clubs have been established as offshoots of the literacy classes, Village Literacy Committees now receive training in their roles as advocates and advisers, and teachers are trained to teach reading more effectively. The project has published cartoons and illustrated short stories to explain the symptoms of illnesses such as malaria and scabies, and has recently expanded to include boys in some of its classes.
Canon Collins Trust is funding this vibrant project while it seeks new sponsors.
