When you can’t fill out a voting ballot, read a bed time story to your child, apply for a better job, or even understand street signs life can be difficult to navigate. This is what each day is like for the approximately 860 million people worldwide who do not know how to read. About two-thirds of all illiterate people are women, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

In many areas of the world women are often the last to receive any form of education, but in South America women are leading the fight against illiteracy. Here the illiteracy rates range from 2.3 percent in Uruguay to 11.6 percent in Brazil, according to the United Nations.

With the theme of “Alphabetize to Evangelize,” the Women’s Ministries department of the Adventist Church is leading a series of reading workshops all over South America.

Evelyn Nagel, Women’s Ministries director in South America, says literacy is just one of the major issues facing women that they are addressing. Adventist women worldwide have identified six areas that affect women negatively. 

Many of those issues are in line with the eight issues that member states of the United Nations are working to improve globally by 2015. The objectives, called Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), look to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development.

While the literacy program isn’t new, Nagel says that 2005 is the year they are emphasizing literacy.

“There are many women who are very enthusiastic about this project, each one doing their part—people who are interested in helping spread the word in their churches and encourage others to participate by donating funds or material,” says Nagel. 

The program involves many in the Adventist community from the church’s education department to its publishing houses in Brazil and Argentina, as well as church members from all over South America.

“Alphabetize to Evangelize” has a dual purpose: end the crippling cycle of poverty that is often a result of illiteracy, and share the Gospel with students. The program uses the “Aprender é Viver” (Learning Is Living) workbook in Spanish and Portuguese. While the program uses traditional teaching methods, the entire content is based on Bible texts. Each student who successfully completes the program is presented with a Bible. 

“In this manner we are helping to decrease illiteracy rates. At the same time we want to take the Gospel to all people,” Nagel says. 

Odacir Pivoto is a former student who came back to the program as a volunteer. In addition to learning to read and write, he learned about Jesus. He began to attend a local church in Peru and was baptized together with his wife.

The program is especially flourishing in many parts of Brazil, whose 1,290,000 church members make it the country with the most Seventh-day Adventist church members in the world. 

In 2001, six teaching centers were organized with 13 students, and one student was baptized in South Paraná. By 2004, there were 74 teaching centers with 274 students in South Paraná, and 50 percent of the students have requested Bible studies. The classes have led to at least 15 baptisms. In other parts of Brazil local governments have supported the project by providing funding for materials and a place for classes to meet.

In Northeast Peru, the challenge of evangelizing through literacy was embraced with great enthusiasm because the illiteracy index in the region is very high, especially among women. From March to July enrollment in classes went up from 80 people to 250.

“The literacy course for adults is a powerful tool to help people develop in life, to learn to read, and above all learn to give themselves to Jesus,” said Marlene Garcia, a women’s ministry leader in Southern Brazil.