Created in 1987 by the United Nations (UN), World Literacy Day, September 8, seeks to highlight the literacy process that is the foundation of education, a human right set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHM).
Education guarantees the development and full implementation of citizenship, both essential rights, and because of its importance, the UN established inclusive access to education as the Sustainable Development Goal (LDG) number 4.
The greater the access to literacy, the greater will be the possibilities of better opportunities in the job market, a better quality of life, social integration and leisure.
However, despite the progress made in recent years, access to formal education, continues to be a current challenge when it comes to the development of public policies in countries.
Within the context of immigration, in general, this right is even more threatened by the situation of crisis and mobility of families, who also speak other languages.
According to the coordinator of the Art-Education Sector of the Fraternity – International Humanitarian Federation (FIHF) and a monk of the Grace Mercy Order, Sister María de Lourdes, many Venezuelan immigrant indigenous children, who arrived in Roraima, never had the opportunity of entering a formal education network in their country of origin. Some arrived as babies, about five years ago, before reaching school age.
“Now these children are of school age, and they need to become literate. It’s important that we look to ensure this right, because there’s no possibility for these families to return to their places of origin,” she says.
Sister María de Lourdes explains that the Art-Education Sector of the Fraternity – International Humanitarian Federation (FIHF) collaborates with non-formal education, but doesn’t carry out specific literacy activities.
At this time, the Humanitarian Fraternity (FIHF) seeks to support refugee families in the shelters managed by the organization in Boa Vista in their process of enrollment in schools for when they return to classroom classes, on September 13, which was interrupted by the pandemic; but the places are limited.
With the support of the Pirilampos Institute, the organization managed to pre-register more than 100 children in the Ministry of Education for their enrollment, and this week, the Humanitarian Fraternity (FIHF)will continue the registration of children and adolescents of school age.
“We are making the necessary efforts with the shelter teams so that everyone’s registration is guaranteed,” says the monk.
