By Evance Banda
BLANTYRE-(MANA)The first cohort of 53 learners under Stephanos Outreach Adoption Program (SOAP) adult literacy intuitive has graduated after a nine month long training in reading, writing and numeracy.
Speaking at the certificate presentation ceremony at Namitalala Catholic church in Ttraditional Authority Kuntaja, Blantyre, Stephanos Foundation executive director, Clifford Kuyokwa said literacy enables people to contribute more to the development of the country.
“The Malawi Vision 2063 requires inclusivity in socioeconomic development for all the citizenry, so the 53 adults that have graduated today will be able to contribute to the transformation of this community,” said Kuyokwa.
Director of Planning and Development for Blantyre District Council Tamanya Harawa commended Stephanos Foundation for being the sole partner of the in the area of adult literacy.
“As a district we can’t meet all the needs of our people and because of these resource gaps, Stephanos Foundation is complementing our efforts in adult literary. We now expect the graduates to participate more in local development structures such as VDCs and help their community in different aspects,” said Harawa.
One of the graduates Lekereni Aroni from Jumbe village described the training as timely as it would help her account for her profits from vegetable and tomato selling.
“Now I can read and write thanks to Stephanos Foundation. I could not charge properly and I was making loses because I did not how to read and write. I am now going to able to do my small business effectively,” she explained.
The adult literacy initiative is part of a five year Stephanos Outreach Adoption Program (SOAP) community based development and aid program that is providing care and support to communities in the areas of agriculture, education, health, adoption and child protection in group village head Chalamanda area, TA Kuntaja from 2020.
Stephanos Foundation is a Christian Charitable non-governmental organization working in the Southern region districts of Blantyre rural, Chikwawa and Thyolo.