The ability to read and write is crucial in building women’s independence and improving their living conditions. Dou Touloma is our project to boost Mali female farmers’ socio–economic self-reliance and well-being, with a literacy initiative that has supported almost 2,300 people in the Ségou, Dioula, Koulikoro and Sikasso regions.
The impact of Dou Touloma
1. Boosting women farmers’ economic self-reliance
Knowing how to read, write and do basic math has empowered project participants to better manage their income-generating activities and to more accurately weigh the products they sell at markets and fairs so as not to fall prey to weighing scams.
“Now, when I sell my grains and produce, I can write down the amounts unpaid, quantities sold and inventory. What that means is now I know how to deal with my customers. It has made such a difference in my business and income. I encourage other women farmers to work toward learning to read and write, because education is a light in the dark.” – Diarra Bassata, literary centre student and member of the Seyla Missirila-Dioïla cooperative
2. Upgrading women farmers’ skills
Access to the written word has enabled women farmers to adopt better agricultural practices and improve their yields. They can now measure the surface area of their lots, determine input quantities and better understand their output. They can also calculate their production costs and determine their sale prices.
3. Empowering women farmers to run their cooperatives
Literacy has also helped women farmers to take an active role in running their farming cooperatives. The Benkan co-op in Woro has replaced five members of its weighing committee with women who have learned to read and write.
The weighing committee weighs and records the sesame harvested by each co-op member, before sending it to the Banamba sesame producers’ association. The new blood in the committee was welcomed by the female members, who did not trust the co-op leadership, so some of them didn’t sell all—or any—of their yield to the co-op.
After this decision, all the co-op members and other farmers from the village have unanimously committed to sell all of their yields to the co-op.
4. Improving the lives of families and communities
Mothers who can read and write are more likely to value their children’s education, which ensures better literacy rates in the next generation.
Women in the Woro region have started teaching classes, where their children learn the alphabet and numbers in Bambara, one of Mali’s national languages, before they start school—the first two years of public school in Mali are taught in Bambara. Woro women have also taken the initiative to teach other women in their communities.
5. Improving health, nutrition and hygiene knowledge
Literacy plays an undeniable role in the self-reliance and well-being of women farmers. Being able to read and write is not only an essential skill, but it also gives them access to crucial information on health, nutrition and hygiene, so they can better understand prevention practices, make better informed decisions for their families and make long-lasting improvements to their living conditions.
Literacy can be a powerful driver to empower these women to tackle everyday challenges.
“Our learners can read and write their own first and last names, telephone numbers and more. Women who take part in Dou Touloma’s literacy initiative no longer miss their pre-natal appointments and their children’s vaccination appointments, because they can now read their appointment schedules.” – Rokiatou Traoré, instructor at the Benkadi co-op’s literacy centre in Zogofina, Ségou
In conclusion, Dou Touloma’s functional literacy initiative has improved living conditions, boosted farming income and reduced gender inequality in rural communities. Dou Touloma has the support of traditional and administrative authorities and of technical partners in the project’s area of impact.
“Dou Touloma’s reading, writing and math classes have boosted Ségou women farmers’ skills in many ways, helping them manage their income-generating activities, run their cooperatives and produce their crops. Dou Touloma also empowers women through classes on gender-based violence, positive masculinity and weighing. It also supports the Mali government’s literacy campaign.” – Mahalmoudou Maiga, program consultant, CAP de Ségou
Dou Touloma is funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Alliance agricole internationale, a consortium of three Canadian organizations (SOCODEVI, CECI and UPADI).
This article was written by Habibatou Sacko, advisor, communication, marketing and agricultural product commercialization for the Dou Touloma project in Mali.