Reading and writing a ticket to independence for Nadia

Above: Nadia and her classmates participating in literacy training in late 2021 in Al-shuhada, Sinjar. Photo: Randa Barakat/CARE

Being able to read and write is a skill that many of us around the world take for granted. But for women and girls who have missed out on school, a lack of literacy can throw up new barriers every day.

For Nadia, 50, who lives in Sinjar, Iraq, having no reading or writing skills left her vulnerable and reduced her independence. When she visited the doctor, someone would have to help her read and fill in forms. Nadia didn’t know how to use a phone to contact her children. If she needed something, she would go to her neighbours or ask someone to help her phone them.

When her younger children were studying, she felt sad she couldn’t help them with their homework.

“When my children read their school books, I couldn’t help them. I wished I could read and write to support them,” Nadia said.

Because of her illiteracy, Nadia rarely went anywhere alone and mostly stayed at home doing household chores. She was feeling isolated and frustrated.

When CARE began to enrol students in literacy classes for adult women, supported through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership’s Building Peaceful Futures response in Iraq, Nadia enthusiastically signed up.

 Above: Nadia practicing her writing with the literacy trainer in Al-shuhada, Sinjar, in late 2021. Photo: Randa Barakat/CARE

The two-month literacy course was open to any woman in Sinjar who wanted to learn to read and write in Arabic. 25 women signed up for class, attending twice a week. The women were also provided with a transport allowance to support their attendance.

The women were active and enthusiastic learners, determined to improve their literacy skills to better communicate with their families and in the community. The classes also fostered new friendships among the woman, many of whom had been displaced by conflict in the region.

For Nadia, she began to enjoy more of a social life in the community with other women she met through the class. She also said she feels more comfortable and safe at home, and is now able to use her phone to contact her children.  

Above all, Nadia feels more confident than ever before. She is thrilled to be able to move around her community independently.

“I am delighted because I learned many things through the classes, such as reading and writing, and I got to meet new friends,” Nadia said.

“The thing that has made me the happiest is that I will be able to help my young children whenever they need me and support them in their studies.”

The Australian Humanitarian Partnership response in Iraq, Building Peaceful Futures, is supported by the Australian Government. As an implementing partner, CARE International in Iraq has been providing health, gender and protection activities in Sinjar district as part of the response since mid-2018.