Illiteracy Definition

Illiteracy and poverty are like the proverbial chicken and egg. Poverty contributes to illiteracy, and illiteracy perpetuates poverty.

Poverty and illiteracy are still intimately entwined as evidenced by 250 million South Asian women who can neither read nor write. READ Global adds that more than 480 million people — men, women and children — are illiterate in South Asia.

Lest we forget our calling, imagine, if you will, a young boy finding a colorful leaflet in the street, but he cannot read the words. Imagine that he runs home and asks his mother what it says. Imagine she can’t tell him what it means because she also cannot read it. Imagine that it says,

イエスはあなたを愛している

Can you read it? Probably not. Now you know how the mother feels. It must be something important, but she can’t tell for sure. Imagine how the little boy feels. He was excited to learn what it says, but his mother can’t tell him.

Frustrating, isn’t it? What if the mother is right that it is something significant? What will that mean for her future and for her son’s?

Gospel for Asia is committed to promoting literacy, particularly among women and children. The group provides supports to local Asian workers who train women to read and write. In 2018, nearly 62,000 women learned to read and write through GFA literacy training programs. Another 70,000 children were taught to read and write in GFA-supported Bridge of Hope centers. Those women and children can now read the most important message they will ever see.

Illiteracy Definition