Rewriting her story - educating women, empowering communities 

Alexandra Lear explains how a literary project in Uganda supported by Operation Agri is making a difference 

Lucy is a proud mother of seven from Nyarugongo village in Western Uganda. For most of her life, she couldn’t read or write because her parents never attended school and nor did she.

When she heard about the Women’s Adult Literacy Project, (WALP), she joined immediately. Determined to change her life, she attended every class and learned to read and write in her local language and in English, alongside learning basic numeracy skills.

This newfound knowledge opened a world of possibilities for Lucy. She bought a sewing machine with her savings and started making dresses for women and children in her village. Her business grew, allowing her to contribute to household expenses and send her own children to school, an opportunity she had not had herself. She was even able to build a new house and start a piggery project with her earnings!

This opportunity empowered Lucy to make decisions for her family, reducing their vulnerability to poverty and abuse. Her story is one of many, showing how education can transform livelihoods.



A Women’s Adult Literacy Project (WALP) meeting

This is just one story from WALP, a project Operation Agri partners with in Kyenjojo, Western Uganda, supported by the Kyenjojo Baptist Association of the Baptist Union of Uganda.

Here, many women and girls face daily challenges such as poverty, gender-based violence, and low self-esteem. Literacy is a powerful tool that can help overcome these obstacles, enabling women to participate more fully in decision-making processes for themselves and their families.

It also reduces their vulnerability to abuse and violence. With newfound literacy and numeracy skills, many women have been able to lift their families out of poverty by securing employment, significantly improving their lives and those of their loved ones.

A key motivation for many women in Kyenjojo has been the desire to read the Bible and follow church services independently. Through the WALP project, this goal has become a reality for many. The project has empowered women by providing them with essential literacy skills, allowing them to read on their own and engage more deeply with their faith.

Dedicated trainers teach women writing, reading, and numeracy in both their local language and English. These trainers travel to the villages where the women live, conducting classes within their communities, often held in the local Baptist churches. They also make home visits to encourage attendance and perseverance, ensuring that women do not give up before completing the course.

Upon graduation, women receive a certificate, symbolising their achievement and newfound capabilities. The success of the program is evident as more women are inspired to join the classes, motivated by the accomplishments of others.


A WALP graduation ceremony

The Women’s Adult Literacy Project is more than just an educational initiative; it is a beacon of hope and possibility. By equipping women with literacy and numeracy skills, Operation Agri is helping them to build better futures for themselves and their families, fostering a community where women can thrive, be equal partners and contribute meaningfully to society.
 

This is one of the many projects Operation Agri supports worldwide. Through partnering with Christian led, locally driven initiatives in agriculture, livelihoods, health, education and women’s empowerment, Operation Agri works to empower people living in poverty to address their own challenges.

Founded in the 1950s by the Baptist Missionary Society (now BMS World Mission), to supply materials such as tools, seeds and day-old chicks to agricultural missionaries, Operation Agri is now a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, providing grants to impactful projects in 11 countries across Africa, Asia and Central America.

The small charity is run by dedicated Trustees and volunteers, organised into the Donors Group (outward-facing) and the Grants Group (project-focused). Each project is overseen by an experienced Trustee, ensuring effective guidance.

Operation Agri views local leaders as partners and value our personal relationships with them, recognising their expertise in driving community change.

If you’d like to learn more, visit operationagri.org.uk, or if you’d like to get involved, contact alexandralear@operationagri.org.uk.
 

Alexandra Lear is Charity Development Manager at Operation Agri