Women Literacy for Rights

Sindh Community Foundation

More than a half million women cotton workers are responsible for the growth of the textile industry, while their rights are denied, and they work in poor working conditions. Due to illiteracy, they need help to calculate and manage their wages and record keeping properly. To address this issue, SCF is running a Literacy program for women cotton workers and intends to expand this program to 10 new villages. The Literacy centers called Suhaee Centres (meaning "light" in Sindhi) will be established in each of the ten new villages. Over six months, 350 will be trained in three subjects of the adult literacy curriculum, covering three main subjects through non-formal education: Sindhi, English, and Maths. By completing a comprehensive 6-month literacy program, 350 women will gain vital skills and confidence for making tangible improvements to their lives for years to come. At the individual level, their increased awareness of labor rights and ability to calculate wages will equip women to negotiate fairer wages with an increased 50% income. It will increase incomes among women cotton pickers, leading to long-term improvements in their quality of life and their families.