Bolivia   Population (approx.) 8 million   Literacy Statistics Overall: 83.1% Male: 90.5% Female: 76.0%   GNP Per Capita (US Dollars) $2,860     Source: The World Bank Development Indicators, 1996; CIA World Fact Book 1997

Country Report presented by Eduardo Gonzalez Saa

"Yuyay Japina"--Quechua for "Let us make the knowledge ours" (or "let us take the right to learn ourselves")--is a bilingual literacy program for Andean women in the most disadvantaged areas of southern Bolivia. The project focuses on women because in this area women account for 70% of the illiterate population. The project, which is founded on the teachings of Paulo Freire, was conceived as a social and cultural movement with a long-term mission emphasizing:

• learner's experiences,
• the promotion of social reconstruction of previously "voiceless" communities,
• sharing information on learner's prior knowledge,
• encouraging academic achievements at all ages, and
• continuing or lifelong learning.

The general objectives of the program are to conduct literacy and post-literacy and training, to strengthen the cultural identity and self esteem of Andean women, and to generate community development. To achieve this the program focuses on women's technical knowledge and skills to improve production and economic activities and works to promote and support women's participation in social, economic, and political activities based in their own cultural context.

Components:

• cultural mobiliation;
• curriculum development for arithmetic, reading, writing;
• production of literacy and bilingual, intercultural materials;
• training of indigenous educators;
• linking education to production skills;
• codification of women (ID provision);
• strenthening community management through participation of the Andean Education Community Council;
• radio support to the literacy programs; and
• tracking, advice, monitoring, and internal and external evaluations.

The main innovation in the project was to introduce numeracy training using an Inca abacus (yupana). To draw people to the literacy activities, the project sponsors music, dancing and theater events, and local people are trained to help design and create colorful posters, which also serve as decoration. The project is bilingual and training begins in mother tongue, with Spanish taught in the second phase.

The program was started by women, and women continue to lead the process, with the help of the men and their communities. Now that many government activities in Bolivia have been decentralized, the women in the program are now able to participate in some of the new local councils in their communities.

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INTERNATIONAL LITERACY INSTITUTE
Graduate School of Education/University of Pennsylvania
3910 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104-3111 USA
Telephone 215-898-2100 | Fax 215-898-9804 | E-mail: sltp@literacy.upenn.edu

Revised: July 6, 1998