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 Fact:
45% of the population of Haiti is
illiterate.
Response: As of 2007, Faith in Action International
provides literacy classes in 16 villages.
Illiteracy is one of the major
obstacles to human development and continues to
handicap Haiti. Illiterate Haitians are unable to participate in tasks
that require reading and writing skills such as reading
newspapers, business contracts, or their children's
school work.
Two recent incidents that participants in our Adult
Literacy program shared illustrate
the importance of literacy and numeracy:
A mother with a sick child
returned from the doctor's office with a prescription.
The prescription read "one tablet per day." Unable to
read, the mother gave the child three tablets in one
day. Tragically, the child died.
Another woman who sold her wares at
the local market was becoming literate and numerate. One
day she realized that a person who had been buying from
her for a long time had been cheating her by
underpaying. Before taking classes, she had not realized
this. The woman spread the word throughout the market
and the "cheat" was apprehended.
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