Australian Aborigines are teaching others in their community to read and write as part of a program established by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency in the remote community of Jigalong, Western Australia.

Consultant Trevor Lloyd bases the adult literacy program on learning pairs. “We match literate mentors—of whom half are young women—with non-literate students, some of whom are older men.”

Mentors and students study one-to-one “because it can be embarrassing for adults to learn about literacy while in group settings,” says Lloyd. He adds he is pleased but not surprised that older men are joining. “They value their heritage and are keen to preserve it in writing.”

“ADRA is committed to helping Jigalong—which has its own council and has declared itself alcohol-free—become more self-sufficient,” says ADRA Australia’s national program director Gary Christian. “The training gives parents the confidence to model reading and writing skills to their children.”

Lloyd says the initiative is creating awareness in the community of the value of education. He tells of an older Martu man sitting with a friend under the shade of a tree. “He looked up as I passed and said, simply, ‘Go school?’”

Plans are to offer the program—in terms of experience and resources—to other communities in Australia.

ADRA helps more than 19 million people in 120 countries each year. It receives accreditation from the Australian Agency for International Development and the Australia Council for Overseas Aid.