Adult Literacy
As the rise of ISIS forced many people to flee their homes, internally-displaced people fled to camps in northern Iraq. The majority of IDPs are from small villages and most of the female population were unable to attend school due to traditional, conservative policies or a lack of financial resources. As many of the women now find themselves solely responsible for their family, the lack of education has potential disastrous consequences for their future.
As the rise of ISIS forced people to flee their homes, tens of thousands of internally-displaced people sought refuge in camps in northern Iraq. The majority of refugees and IDPs came from small villages, where most of the female population were unable to attend school due to traditional, conservative policies, a lack of financial resources, plus a history of conflict. With many of the women now solely responsible for their families, a lack of education has potentially disastrous consequences for their futures.
When the Lotus Flower arrived at Rwanga Community camp, our team spoke with many female IDPs who had to stay at home with their families but had a desire for education. In order to meet this, we created a women’s adult literacy course to teach students how to read and write in Arabic and Kurdish. The courses target beginner and intermediate-level students and we provide all materials, including stationery and textbooks. Since then, we have expanded our adult literacy courses to operate in each of our centres, serving a diverse community of refugee and IDP women.
The main objective of the literacy course is to provide a safe and supportive environment for women who were unable to attend school earlier in their lives to learn how to read and write. By the end of the course, they are able to comprehend the alphabet, numbers, and write simple sentences.
Basic literacy not only opens the door to further educational opportunities, but also acts as a platform to raise awareness on women’s rights and health education, while providing necessary skills for future employment. Course graduates have the opportunity to engage more confidently with the community and participate in new ways. Since launching in January 2017, the literacy course has become one of the most popular programmes at the Lotus Flower centres, with new requests to attend every day.
CASE STUDY
Monifa is one woman we support who suffered from depression and other psychological disorders after her marriage ended in 2015. She had never had the chance of an education before, so when she had the chance to take part in our adult literacy course, she decided to give it a go. “I’m so happy that I can read and put words and sentences together at last,” Monifa says. “Learning the Kurdish alphabet, words and sentences for the first time was so interesting.”
She adds: “I have enjoyed being introduced to so many other women, too. People thought my age excluded me from learning, but to me, education has nothing to do with age. I didn’t fulfil my dream to study when I was a child because of traditions that obligated me to marry instead, but now I have the chance to learn new things.”
English Language
As English is the main language that is spoken throughout the world, it is becoming an essential skill to learn for professional development in the Middle East. Beginning in January 2017, the Lotus Flower began offering beginner and intermediate-level English courses for women. Each course can last between 1 – 3 months, depending on the needs of the students.
As English is the main language spoken throughout the world, it is becoming an essential skill for professional development in the Middle East. Since January 2017, our centres have offered beginner and intermediate level English courses for women. Each course lasts between one and three months, depending on the needs of the students, and are offered on an ongoing basis.
The main objectives of the English course are to:
Increase level of English language proficiency
Provide a supportive learning environment for our students
Introduce a wide range of vocabulary and expressions that are useful in everyday life and professional environments
The primary impact of English language courses is to facilitate better opportunities for employment; English is a useful skill across a wide array of industries and allows skilled speakers to command higher salaries. Learning English also provides the ability to communicate and travel internationally, and the course itself includes a variety of discussion topics, which helps raise students’ awareness of current events and other topics.
CASE STUDY
Mother Ghazal arrived in camp in 2019, and like so many other women, knew few people and saw little opportunity available to her or her children. However, she then signed up to our English language course, and says: “It has been an amazing thing for me. Through the Lotus Flower centre I have been able to meet other women and girls and take part in many classes. I especially enjoy learning English language, as it helps me develop and acquire new words and learn about letters.”
Despite having no formal education and being illiterate as a child, she is able to ensure her own children have a very different experience. “Now I can help my children in school. I can teach them and help them with their homework. My hope is that they will be able to go to university and have the kind of chances that I never had.”
Awareness Sessions
Our awareness sessions cover all kinds of issues and topics that affect them – including the prevention of gender-based and domestic violence, sexual abuse and exploitation, plus early marriage and human trafficking. Sessions take the form of group discussions, art and music therapy, as well as community outreach and home visits. These sessions are also targeted at men and boys to encourage and enable wider systemic change.
Many women and girl refugees and IDPs are not aware of what behaviours are socially acceptable due to coming from traditional cultures and backgrounds where their basic rights have been badly impinged. Our awareness sessions cover all kinds of issues and topics that affect them – including the prevention of gender-based and domestic violence, sexual abuse and exploitation, plus early marriage and human trafficking. Sessions take the form of group discussions, art and music therapy, as well as community outreach and home visits. These sessions are also targeted at men and boys to encourage and enable wider systemic change.
Our teams additionally provide education and awareness of issues that may require urgent attention – as seen with Covid-19. When the pandemic first broke out, our teams provided information on disease prevention and hygiene – including hand-washing tutorials for children. We also conduct advocacy campaigns to educate community members on mental health issues, and we provide access to a social worker and/or therapist for individualised support and group discussions. When we encounter severe cases, we refer them to partner organisations with the expertise to provide the necessary professional assistance.
CASE STUDY
Syrian widow Fatima was bereft when her grown-up children married and moved away, and she suffered from depressive thoughts. She began attending our awareness sessions on a variety of topics, and says: “These gatherings help me get rid of negative energy, and I am always happy to attend because the centre has such a kind and supportive team.”
Fatima has also found benefits in signing up for other educational classes we offer, and she adds: “I have been participating with my friend, and am very happy to be able to study Arabic and English,” she adds. “I feel good that I am going out to do these things.”
Computer training
To complement the language courses and provide additional professional skills, the Lotus Flower provides computer training courses for women and girls. This training provides a base level of computer skills, which are a valuable asset in most modern professions. Most of the women and girls attending these courses had never used a computer before, so the instructors start from the basics, including turning the computers on and off, opening files, and using office software.
Our computer training courses for women and girls provides a base level of computer skills, which are a valuable asset in most modern professions. Most of the women and girls attending these courses have never used a computer before, so the instructors start from the basics, including turning the computers on and off, opening files, typing skills, and using office software.
Having lacked the opportunity to work with computers before, many of the women in our courses conducted so far were very excited for the opportunity to learn, and all of them graduated with the ability to work with computers successfully, particularly focusing on skills in Microsoft Word. As of the end of 2017, 40 women and girls in the Rwanga Community had graduated the computer course and were able to achieve basic computer skills which they could practice every day on community center computers.