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USAID Cuts Funding, Hitting Literacy Programs in Mali

ForAminataDoumbia, the'ShifinniTagne'projectwasapathforherlifedreams.

對 Aminata Doumbia 來說，「Shifin ni Tagne」計畫是她實現人生夢想的道路。

Backedby$25 millioninfundingfromthe U.S. AgencyforInternationalDevelopment, theprojecthasnowshutdown.

該計畫獲得了美國國際開發署 2500 萬美元的資助，目前已停止。

DoumbiaisamongthousandsofpeoplewhonowfindthemselvesstrandedinMali, acountryravagedbyhighpovertyandinsecuritylevels.

杜姆比亞是目前滯留在馬利的數千人之一，馬利是一個深受貧窮和不安全因素困擾的國家。

AccordingtoSyllaFatoumataCissé, directorofagovernmentagencyfocusingonnonformaleducation, over70%ofthepopulationofatleast22millionpeopleinMalihaven'thadtheopportunitytolearntoreadandwrite.

根據馬利非正規教育政府機構負責人西拉法圖馬塔西塞介紹，馬利至少有2,200萬人口，其中70%以上沒有機會學習讀寫。

ThefundingcutalsocameatatimewhenMali'sotherdevelopmentpartnersinEuropehavewithdrawntheirsupportintheaftermathofthe2021coup.

這筆經費削減正值馬利在 2021 年政變後，其歐洲其他發展夥伴撤回了對馬利的支持。

Onceliterate, programbeneficiariesmoveontotheacquisitionofvocationalskillslikehairdressing, carpentry, sewing, welding, andpastry-making.

一旦掌握了讀寫能力，專案受益者就會繼續學習美髮、木工、縫紉、焊接和糕點製作等職業技能。

IssiakaBallo, aprofessorandresearcherinnativelanguagesatMali'sUniversityofBamakobelievesthattheteachingofmothertonguescanleadtomassliteracyamongthepopulation.

馬里巴馬科大學母語教授兼研究員伊西亞卡·巴洛認為，教授母語可以提高民眾的識字率。

USAID'sinvolvementinMalihashitnotonlytheliteracyprogramsbutalsoothersdesignedtoincreaseadulteducationandexpandtheliteracyprojecttopublicschools.

美國國際開發署在馬裡的參與不僅影響了掃盲項目，還影響了旨在加強成人教育並將掃盲項目擴展到公立學校的其他項目。

TheUSAIDcutwillimpactthedevelopmentofmother-tongueeducationandCisséfearsthatthereisnomechanisminplacetolessentheimpact.

美國國際開發署的削減將影響母語教育的發展，西塞擔心目前沒有機制可以減輕這種影響。

OumouTraoré, amotheroftwo, benefittedfromthetrainingprovidedthroughtheprogrambyimprovingherfarmingbusiness.

烏穆·特拉奧雷 (Oumou Traoré) 是兩個孩子的母親，透過該計畫提供的培訓，她改善了自己的農業經營狀況。

For Aminata Doumbia, the 'Shifin ni Tagne' project was a path for her life dreams.

Backed by $25 million in funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the project has now shut down.

Doumbia is among thousands of people who now find themselves stranded in Mali, a country ravaged by high poverty and insecurity levels.

According to Sylla Fatoumata Cissé, director of a government agency focusing on nonformal education, over 70% of the population of at least 22 million people in Mali haven't had the opportunity to learn to read and write.

The funding cut also came at a time when Mali's other development partners in Europe have withdrawn their support in the aftermath of the 2021 coup.

Once literate, program beneficiaries move on to the acquisition of vocational skills like hairdressing, carpentry, sewing, welding, and pastry-making.

Issiaka Ballo, a professor and researcher in native languages at Mali's University of Bamako believes that the teaching of mother tongues can lead to mass literacy among the population.

USAID's involvement in Mali has hit not only the literacy programs but also others designed to increase adult education and expand the literacy project to public schools.

The USAID cut will impact the development of mother-tongue education and Cissé fears that there is no mechanism in place to lessen the impact.

Oumou Traoré, a mother of two, benefitted from the training provided through the program by improving her farming business.