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Supporting women’s livelihoods in Angola through vocational and literacy training

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Four students sit in a classroom, writing in notebooks at wooden desks. The room has a mix of brick and glass walls.
In Progress
Fund capital used

ÂŁ2,000

The project is providing daily stipends for women enrolled in a literacy programme in Luanda, Angola. Each participant receives £1.50 per training day for three months, covering transport and meals so that financial hardship does not prevent them from attending class. For many, this marks their first-ever opportunity to learn to read, write, and count, an essential step toward independence, confidence, and self-reliance.

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Local partner:
Samara Dias
  • Region
    🇦🇴 Angola
  • Sector
    Education
  • Beneficiaries
    22
  • Stage
    Pilot
The Story

Across Luanda, thousands of women have grown up without the chance to attend school.

Students sitting at desks in a classroom, focused on writing during an exam. The room has wooden walls and large windows.
This literacy project was started by community organiser Samara Dias, who founded the initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic after witnessing how quickly life unravelled for women without stable incomes or education. During that period, domestic violence surged, hunger deepened, and dependency cycles intensified, particularly among women living in poverty.

What began as small, community-based literacy and baking classes has since evolved into a structured programme offering training in literacy and vocational skills. Yet one barrier remains constant: the cost of attending. Transport and daily expenses often prevent women from participating consistently.

Women seated at desks in a classroom, writing in notebooks. They wear colorful clothing and headscarves, with wooden walls in the background.
By providing stipends, the project removes this barrier entirely. For women living on the margins, £1.50 a day makes the difference between showing up and staying home. These stipends ensure that women can complete the full three-month courses without interruption, maintaining their focus on learning and personal growth.

Why this matters

Luanda is among the most expensive cities in the world, and women bear the brunt of its economic inequalities. Many are single mothers or survivors of domestic violence who have never had access to education. Illiteracy limits their ability to find formal work, manage household needs, or participate fully in community life.

Four students sit in a classroom, writing in notebooks at wooden desks. The room has a mix of brick and glass walls.
This project tackles that challenge directly. Covering transport and meal costs enables consistent attendance and ensures that women can focus on their learning. The support recognises a simple but powerful truth: empowerment often begins with access.

Through this initiative, women are gaining the literacy and confidence they need to take control of their futures, engage in income-generating activities, and make meaningful contributions to their families and communities.

What the project is changing

The impact extends beyond the classroom. As participants learn to read, they help their children with homework, manage small businesses, and engage more actively in civic life.

This initiative demonstrates that empowerment doesn't always begin with large interventions; sometimes, it begins with something as simple as a bus fare.

Technical stuff

The Details

  • Women supported
    22
  • Women completing vocational training
    20
Updates

From the field

24 women complete literacy programme with transport support in Luanda

Posted by Samara Dias

Posted 5 Mar 2026

We have completed our 2025 Literacy Pilot Project. We achieved the following results with our pilot:

  • 29 women enrolled, and 24 completed the programme (83%).

  • Each participant received an average of 108 hours of literacy instruction focused on reading, spelling, and written communication.

  • Transport stipends helped participants attend regularly, increasing attendance from around 50% to approximately 80%.

    We also supported five women with transport stipends to undertake three-month internships. One participant withdrew due to higher travel costs, and four completed their placements.

    Most participants are heads of household with limited formal education. Many are unemployed or earning income through informal work. By the end of December, participants reported stronger literacy skills and more confidence in navigating written information.

    One participant, a former child soldier, shared that without the right documentation and literacy skills, she could not access government benefits or navigate the required forms. “I am in this situation because I didn't have anyone to guide me,” she said.

    When she heard about the free literacy programme, she enrolled immediately. Today, she can read. One of the first things she proudly shared was, “Now I can read the Bible on my own.”

    Activities:

    • We enrolled 29 women in the 2025 Literacy Pilot Project.

    • We delivered an average of 108 hours of literacy instruction per participant.

    • We provided transport stipends to support regular attendance.

    • We supported five women with transport stipends for three-month internships.

Transport stipends boost attendance in Ella Africa literacy and internship programmes

Posted by Samara Dias

Posted 16 Dec 2025

Over the past two weeks, we have continued to run literacy sessions consistently, with strong attendance from the 29 women enrolled. Since we introduced transport stipends, attendance has increased to 85%, and women have been arriving more regularly and on time. Sessions during this period have been particularly engaging, with participants showing increased participation.

We completed the final literacy sessions for December, and we are preparing to issue the final transport stipend on 19 December. We have fully updated attendance registers and records.
For the internship programme, all five women have continued attending their placements five days a week. The transport support has remained critical, especially during this period, as several participants shared that without the stipend they would have struggled to cover daily travel costs. The women have been able to stay consistent and focused on learning, and feedback from placement supervisors has been positive.
We captured photos and short video clips during literacy sessions over the past two weeks to document participation and engagement.
We have encountered small challenges, including minor fluctuations in local transport fares and the pressure of working within a tight timeline up to 19 December. We have navigated these through close coordination and flexibility, and they have not disrupted the programme. Overall, we remain on track.

Activities:

  • Continued running literacy sessions three days a week

  • Maintained strong attendance from 29 women, reaching 85% attendance

  • Supported daily transport for five women in internship placements

  • Updated attendance registers and records

  • Prepared for final stipend distribution on 19 December

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