Project Literacy

Vital Stats

Mariama K

Philadelphia, PA

  • People Doing It10

The Problem

Our aim is to create a national magazine for teenage girls in Sierra Leone, West Africa that promotes the ideas of literacy, female leadership, and economic development. In Sierra Leone, only 35.1% of the total population is literate . This fact is particularly striking once gender is taken into consideration. Among citizens 15-24 years of age, 64% of boys are literate as opposed to only 44% of literate girls . In many Sierra Leonean families, women are the primary stakeholders, yet due to the lack of literacy, females are inhibited from becoming greater decision-makers in society. In an economy struggling to fully recover from the decade long civil war, women now have the opportunity to improve their economic conditions. Thus, we believe that investing in girls’ literacy in Sierra Leone will encourage female leadership and in effect stimulate economic growth.

Plan of Action

Literacy and the Economy 1) A study of secondary sources on the subject of girls’ literacy and economic development. 2) Primary research on girls as members of educational and cultural communities in Sierra Leone. This would also entail interviewing female leaders and entrepreneurs who would serve as examples and frame our analysis. 3) An inquiry of important initiatives in Sierra Leone that affect females’ roles in education and the economy. This would include an investigation of current leadership opportunities available to females and the current economic climate. Magazine as diplomatic communication 1) Discussions with school officials about educational aims, standards of learning, and objectives. 2) Extensive surveys and focus groups to learn how the research can best serve girls. 3) Meetings with publishers and editors in the US and Sierra Leone to synthesize findings into a magazine. This includes partnering with local universities and printing presses to create an editorial staff. Goal: Produce a prototype!