International Literacy And Development

Programs: Ilad is conducting program activities in eight countries. Currently, the most extensive operations are in west africa, where ilad staff are involved in literacy, agricultural training, social business, micro-finance, medical initiatives, and education. Literacy: in 2017 ilad continued to conduct literacy classes in one of the local languages. Since 2011, over 180 individuals have graduated from these classes. Ilad also opened a new mobile library where communities can access literature in their own language. Agricultural training: over 700 local farmers using ilad's self-sustaining demonstration farm and small farm cooperatives are being trained. Social business: ilad is supporting the creation of local processing businesses to provide a fair price market for agricultural products. These businesses provided over 50 full-time jobs. Micro-finance: ilad is providing financial services such as savings and micro loans through a rural agricultural development program. 340 people are in the savings plan and 305 loans have been given, resulting in a substantial increase in the farmer's income. Medical initiatives: working in partnership with medical teams, ilad provides mobile medical clinics several times a year in rural villages. In 2017, over 500 patients were provided with medical services. Education: ilad assists families by providing school supplies. In 2017, 2000 rural schoolchildren were helped. Clean water initiatives: in 2017, a new well was drilled for a community of 500 families. In the middle east, ilad is working with an overlooked, underserved minority language group. Initial literacy efforts in both the country's main language and the minority language have begun. A women's literacy class was completed and classes on breastfeeding, fertility, and craft-making were conducted. Research in collaboration with the community is being done to identify poverty-alleviating economic development activities. Dallas, texas is now home to a large refugee population, many of whom speak minority languages with no access to written or audio texts in their primary language. And very few know english. Ilad is currently helping refugees with english language studies based on individual schedules and needs. Our staff also helps with acculturation and relocation needs. In asia, the caucasus mountains, and north africa, ilad staff are in the beginning stages of language and culture research.