Central African Republic - On Wednesday (12/8) IOM in the Central African Republic (CAR) joined national and local authorities in Ndele, in the country’s remote northeast, to present some 450 graduation certificates to adult students who successfully completed a training course in literacy and book keeping.

The course, which took place between May and July, was part of IOM CAR’s European Union-funded Community Stabilization programme and involved 223 men and 235 women. It was designed to provide them with livelihood opportunities.

Decades of underdevelopment and economic marginalization have excluded the vast majority of CAR’s population from attending regular education programmes.

Amina, 37, was one of the graduates. “I have never been to school. Neither I nor my children have ever sat in a classroom. It was quite exciting and very difficult to go to class every day and learn how to write. I was very nervous for the final exam and am very proud that I have passed. I now realize how much I did not see before, now I can read what is written on billboards and in letters. It is a new life,” she said.

IOM is working in close cooperation with national authorities to ensure daily monitoring of some 40 adult literacy classes in four communities in Ndele, Kaga Bandoro, Bangui and Boda. Over 50 percent of the students are women.

The Community Stabilization programme is aiming to help over 40,000 direct beneficiaries through cash for work activities (15,000 beneficiaries to date) and by offering training opportunities to 30,000 people (2,500 to date).

For further information please contact IOM CAR.  Seve Diomande, Tel: + +236727 63717, Email: sdiomande@iom.int or Anne Schaefer, Tel: +23672187635, Email: aschaefer@iom.int.