Making quality education accessible in rural communities: A student in a preschool managed by the Lutheran Church of Senegal in Ndouf, Fatick region. Photo: ELS/Edward Ndong
Lutheran church initiative is transforming households and communities
(LWI) - When the Lutheran Church of Senegal (Église Luthérienne du Senegal -ELS) started a literacy project in 2025, its goal was clear: make quality education and life skills accessible to excluded populations in the rural areas—preschool children and mostly women.
One year later, more than 200 women and a few men are sharing the gains from adult literacy classes in their local languages and the national language, French. Another group: 400 children aged below six years, are being recognized for the first structured learning experience of their lives in the national language.
Literacy has changed my life, and I now understand how important it is, that is why I am mobilizing other women in my community to enroll for classes,
Marie Kama, Senegal
“Literacy has changed my life, and I now understand how important it is, that is why I am mobilizing other women in my community to enroll for classes,” says 52-year-old Marie Kama, a resident of Fangade village in the western region of Fatick. After attending classes for only seven months, she says, “I have mastered the Serer [local dialect] alphabet, I can read and write including compound sentences, and do basic arithmetic calculations.” The newly acquired knowledge has bolstered her confidence too. “I can finally use some of my mobile phone features without asking anyone for help,” she adds.
Kama is among the 219 adult learners — 215 of them women — attending one of the five adult literacy centers set up by the ELS in Fatick and Kaolack regions, with support from The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Member church projects program.
Growing up in infrastructure-deprived rural settings in the predominantly Muslim country, schooling for Kama was mostly informal. It was based on traditional models that offer neither the national French language school curriculum nor a regulated system that would bridge the gap between religious and modern, secular schooling.
Economic empowerment
The ELS literacy centers are also spaces for economic empowerment. Participants are trained in small-business management techniques and practices. They are also encouraged to join village savings and credit groups where they receive loans to set up or boost different income-generating activities.
In 2025, two women's groups received funding, and 60 of their members are now running market stalls for various products, bringing in additional household income. “This has strengthened family stability, reduced economic vulnerability, and empowered women to participate more actively in family decisions and community discussions. This shift has been widely acknowledged by local leaders,” says Edward Ndong, the project’s coordinator.
Easier transition to primary school
The 396 children enrolled in ELS-run preschools in 2025 (199 girls and 197 boys) include four who live with disabilities. They learn mathematics, communication skills, discover science, awareness about hygiene and the environment, arts, drama, music, and civic values — all in Senegal’s national language.
Their instructors report improved participation, confidence, and faster comprehension compared to traditional early schooling models, and the national primary school directors confirm this difference. “Children transitioning from these preschools into primary schools adapt more easily and grasp foundational concepts more quickly,” says Marthe Bakhoum, one of the volunteer instructors.
Marie Kama says literacy has changed her life and that is why she is mobilizing other women in her community to enroll for classes. Photo: ELS/Edward Ndong
Participants in an adult literacy class in Diocoule, Fatick region. Photo: ELS/Edward Ndong
A community sensitization meeting in Ngohé Pofine, on the importance of preschool education and adult literacy. Photo: ELS/Edward Ndong
Community support and ownership
Community ownership and collaboration with the national education authorities are key to the project’s success, Ndong explains. The church actively involves the local residents, education stakeholders, traditional and religious leaders in meetings and decision-making processes on the literacy and preschool operations.
The 10 preschool instructors and five adult literacy instructors recruited locally received capacity-building training, and a coordinator and supervisor monitored implementation of activities throughout the year.
While the ELS provides a monthly allowance to the instructors, the children’s parents and community members also provide additional support such as toys and other playing kits, and the local authorities donate stationery and material for arts and crafts.
Beyond the project’s direct participants, the initiative has changed entire communities, according to Ndong. In Fatick and Kaolack, 15 school management committees have been established in various communities to ensure continuity and local ownership. Community meetings have become a common activity to strengthen awareness about the importance of early education and literacy.
The project has also created paid employment for facilitators, contributing to reduced rural migration. Still, it faces challenges which the ELS is addressing such as insufficient teaching and reading books in the national languages, and limited educational play materials.
