The majority of older people are illiterate particularly in developing countries due to social taboos on girls’ education and limited academic institutions during 1960s. This bunch of illiterate youth especially girls of 1960s and older people of today is struggling to live a normal life in present day society. In Nepal, more than 80% of older women are illiterate (CBS 2021). So, Ageing Nepal conduct Basic and Digital Literacy Class for Older People focusing older women.

Literacy empowers all including the older people. Without literacy it is extremely difficult for an older person to meaningfully participate in socio-political and economic facets of the society. Moreover, illiteracy in old age adds more challenges for older people, especially for those who are living in urban areas in their later life. It is worth noting that the world is going through a trend of fast urbanization. In urban life, literacy is taken for granted, and without it older people become dependent on others even for small activities which they could do by themselves if literate, like: using TV remote, making phone calls, visiting their doctor, travelling in public vehicles, crossing the road, shopping, and so on.  They have to be dependent on their family members who are already under time pressure and may not be willing or able to help. 

Considering this, NGO Committee on Ageing and Virginia Hazzard Legacy Fund piloted a six months literacy project in four developing countries, i.e., Nepal, Togo, Mali and Mozambique.

Ageing Nepal in collaboration with Shree Asthabhuja Samaj- a local organization, piloted the project in Budanilkantha municipality ward no. 10, an area with high migration rate and rapid urbanization.  Thirty older people, 28 women and 2 men were selected through home visit. Two experienced teachers were hired for daily 2 and half hours teaching learning processes. The Neo-learners were empowered with basic skills of (a) reading, writing and numeracy in Nepali and English and (b) using home appliances and mobile phone.

Since this beginning in 2016, Ageing Nepal has successfully replicated the class in seven different communities. On the basis of research on cognitive capacity of older people and under guidance of Prof. Helen Abadzi, Psychologist (PhD), Research Faculty, University of Texas at Arlington, a text book for older people was developed. Similarly, a teacher guide book is also developed. All four classes conducted so far were handed over to the local government. All of the classes were continued with support from their respective local governments.

The programme broke social norms that the older people particularly women cannot learn new things. It empowered older people to live their old age actively. The project not only gave higher degree of independence to the learners through added ability to do things they could not do before, but also gave more friends whom they can call for help on difficulties, share time to avoid loneliness and as a group deter possible incidence of elder abuse. Recently, Ageing Nepal conducted survey among older learners who attended the basic literacy class. The survey proved that the class became successful to change the life of neo-learners and the attitude of their family and neighbors towards them. 

Ageing Nepal has already been implemented 9 classes in different communities in collaboration with local organisations. The literacy programs have been successful to win UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize 2020.

“All the family members seemed busy all the time. It was hard to find anyone to talk to. When I tried to help my daughter-in-law with household chores, they would not allow me, saying, “You don’t know…” It hurt deeply. I felt ashamed, worthless, and lonely. I depended on them even for small things, seeing a nearby doctor, identifying medicines, going shopping, making phone calls, changing TV channels, things I could not do simply because I was illiterate. But that is all in the past now. The basic literacy class has made me an independent and active woman again, with many new friends. I got my life, friends, and freedom back. These days, I even help my great-grandchildren with their homework”, Older woman, 78.

‘We have a phone at home but I generally had to wait for some grandchild to come from school and dial the phone for me. But the time has changed amazingly after I enrolled in the literacy class. Now, I can use phone, do simple addition and subtraction and can read the packet label. I am no more afraid of going out alone and get lost because I can read route number of the bus. Sign boards and street numbers. Not only this, I gained many friends to talk to and share my feelings. Confidence building sessions have enabled me to put my opinion strongly to a group of strangers.’ -71, older woman

‘After first few happy days in Kathmandu my illiteracy started coming down heavily on me as a curse. I started suffering loneliness, feeling useless, facing shame often and leaving as dependent though I am physically fit. I could not go anywhere because of the fear of getting lost. I could not use electronic gadgets, recognize my medicine and so on. But, now no more such things, I am literate woman, you know? And her pride shines’.- 60, older man.