Special Series: Education : Illiteracy eradication programs struggle with the numbers

CAIRO: Amid the noisy, crowded streets and bustling activity in the Cairene squatter settlement of Mansheyat Nasser, in the basement of an unpainted building, 25 women have decided to change their destinies. They came to learn how to read and write. “One has to be educated in order to know things, so no one can ever take advantage of me,” said Nagwa, a 38-year-old mother attending the class. The class is offered by the Association for Women’s Advancement and Development and is one of many...