ALEF's vision is to make it possible for youth and adults in the world's poorest regions to change their own lives by aquiring literacy and numeracy.

Building capacity in local organisations already working among the people

There exist a myriad of more or less benevolent and professional development organisations and NGOs We don't want to be yet another organisation setting up our own work, with expensive national offices. Instead, our vision is to strengthen local organisations already working where the need is, organisations with sound visions, high integrity and good local knowledge, who need to increase their competence in adult education and literacy.

Our role is to function as advisors and mentors; to accompany the local organisation in the program, from the planning phase through to an established ogoing program. We want to assist in training personnel, training of trainers, course and curriculum planning, producion of teaching materials and course manuals, monitoring the work until the local partner organisation can continue the work without further input form ALEF.

To some extent, we may also be able to finance project where we have been involved in the training and planning process.  

Read more in the document Model for Cooperation.

Focusing on one professional area: Basic education for illiterate youth and adults

Many development organisations have adult literacy or adult basic education as one component in their overall work. But there is no other organisation which is specialized in providing expert assistance to local organisations in literacy and numeracy. According to reports from Unesco, less than 2 per cent of all development finance goes to adult literacy. We would like to contribute to seeing this percentage increase.

Literate parents send their children to school to a greater extent than illiterate parents. If the parents in addition are able to improve their economy, experience shows that the added income of newly literate parents almost always first of all goes to school fees. Parents who can read and write can monitor the children's work and help them with homework.

Educating adults leads to quick results -- the goal is that you should be able to go home from each course session and apply something learnt. It may be something as simple as washing hands before eating, or it can be a question of claiming one's rights in front of corrupt officials, or how to grow one's crops in a more cost effective way. After less than a year, particpants can read and write, and use numeracy in daily life situations. The cost is often less than USD 50 per participant. There are few investments in development which yield such immedeate and considerable results.

Using a method which is based on the needs of the learners, and which can be adapted to each local situation

Good adult education must build on the experiences, needs and life situation of the participants. and aim at the development of the whole person. For this, we have developed a method, Literacy on Four Legs. Follow the link to a description of the method. It is described in detail in a manual by the same name, written by ALEF founder Hélène Boëthius which we use in our training and partnerships.

WHO ARE WE?

ALEF's founder, Hélène Boëthius, has worked with adult literacy and development for almost 30 years, first in Togo with SIL, and from the year 2000 in Sweden for among others Läkarmissionen and PMU InterLife, and also through her own consultant firm. The work has involved visiting many projects across the world. She lives in Hässelby, outside Stockholm. Presently, Hélène works full time with marketing ALEF and building partnerships, so far without a salary from the organisation. Hélène is the chairperson of ALEF.

The board:

Dieudonné Mparara Ruchogeza, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has a degree in development and adult education. He has worked 20 years with adult education and literacy in Central and Eastern Africa. He currently lives in Jordbro outside Stockholm with his family.

Mikael Kindbom, journalist and lawyer, works for the Swedish organisation 'Forum for Justice'. Earlier he has worked as a journalist in local and national media for more than 20 years. He lives in Bromma, Stockholm, with his family.

Margareth Harris, is a person with a passion for the right of all people to an education. She is a physiotherapist specialized in urology, living and working in Stockholm.

Josefine Hörnberg, has many years of experience from development cooperation within areas like democracy, human rights, HIV/Aids and work with socially vulnerable children and orphans. She lives in Nairobi, Kenya with her family.

Manara Kasubi,from the Democratic Republic of Congo is trained in accounting, and works for PMU InterLife. He lives in Saltsjöbaden outside Stockholm. He has worked earlier with project finance in his home country.