September 8 is World Literacy Day. On this day, we remember the gains we have made in the fight against illiteracy and remind ourselves how much remains to be done, especially in countries suffering from high illiteracy rates, like Timor-Leste.

Until a few months ago, Aida de Fatima, 52, was an illiterate but hardworking market vendor in the southwestern district of Covalima. She sold fried banana snacks in public places to support her family. As a member of the cooperative Hotflima (Halibur Oan Timor Fo Liman Ba Malu or “Joining Hands in Helping Each Other”), she had a savings book but could not even read it.

Aida was the rule rather than the exception in a country suffering from an illiteracy rate of over 50%. Women comprise two-thirds of Timor-Leste’s illiterate population.

In March, Aida became a student of Fundasaun Comunidade ba Futuru, one of five USAID-supported NGOs providing literacy and numeracy training to women who can apply what they learn to their small businesses. Six months later, Aida has become a good example of how literacy and numeracy skills can make a huge difference in a Timorese woman’s life.

“Now I can understand perfectly our cooperative’s financial system. I can read the balances written in my savings book, and I can sign it properly,” she now says. She can see how far-reaching the benefits of her new skills are: “If I can read and write well, I will manage my family’s budget and my business better.”

Aida’s newly acquired skills, basic but necessary for her daily activities, certainly mean a lot to the whole family. Even her youngest child Joana, who is still in grade school, can testify to this, as Aida has started helping her with her homework.

Fundasaun Comunidade ba Futuru has so far trained 213 women like Aida in literacy and numeracy in Covalima district. Through its Small Grants Program, USAID also provides support to Fundacao Cristal, Fundasaun Xanana Gusmao, Fundasaun Buka Matenek, Forum Peduli Wanita Oecusse, and Timor Aid to develop basic literacy and numeracy skills among economically active adults that somehow never had the opportunity to attend school. Since 2005, almost 2,000 people in seven districts have been trained, 75% of whom are women. USAID’s Small Grants Program also supports the Ministry of Education through necessary materials and technical support to enable the Ministry to deliver high-quality, applicable literacy and numeracy training.

As Aida’s example shows, literacy and numeracy skills are invaluable for economically active women who are able to apply these skills to managing their small-sized businesses and household finances. We can also count on women like Aida to see to it that the next generation of Timorese will have a good start in life by learning to read and write early on.