About Zero Illiteracy Project

On average, only about one-fifth of the entire African populace has access to western education. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and tertiary (post-secondary) education are notably low with less then 20% of the inhabitants as beneficiaries. These limitations no doubt pose great challenges to the world’s third largest continent in this 21st century.

Over time, governments, intergovernmental bodies, private enterprise, and individuals across the region and beyond have been moved toward reversing this trend in terms of ICT education and in some cases, tertiary education. However, such efforts will not be enough to address this serious deficiency, especially in the face of the concomitant challenges afflicting the continent as addressed in the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Despite various promises and initiatives by world leaders and governments to help reduce illiteracy level to a minimum by the turn of the century, the problem persists.

The attendant consequences are a situation of perpetual lagging by the African nations. Meanwhile, more and advanced technologies are continually developed, leading to a Resource Investment Deficit (RID) on the side of government, and an unprecedented poverty, social and economic insecurity, low level of political awareness, and adverse psychological effects on side of the disadvantaged citizens.

Aim & Objective

The Zero Illiteracy Project (ZIP) is a novel service program directed at improving the level of literacy (including ICT education) to the barest minimum in Africa. It is an initiative designed to use a new approach and methodology that make everyone a stakeholder. The goal of ZIP is to substantially reduce the level of illiteracy, particularly at the grassroots level, using non-profit organizations (NGOs, charity organizations, civil society organizations) as drivers of the change.

The idea is borne out of the objective observation that the pace of development in Africa, especially in the areas of economy, political and social, is adversely incomparable to the rest of the world. It is a known fact and conviction that these gaps created by the above factors are tied to the level of our education. ZIP, therefore, is designed to utilize new strategies and approaches that are grassroots oriented and targeting volunteers from across the world in achieving results. The ultimate advantage for ZIP is the use of the worldwide network of NGOs available via WANGO, with a broad-based outreach.