On International Literacy Day, we share María's inspiring story

When she grew up and was able to become independent, she looked for a way to study, but did not find an offer that would allow her to combine her studies with work and taking care of her children, so she resigned herself to not learning to read and write, and to depend on her husband to do the accounts and place orders for her small business. Like Maria, there are 763 million illiterate people in the world (UNESCO); in Peru 1.3 million are illiterate (INEI).

Maria was with her husband Victor Mamani, one Sunday in March, when a report was broadcast on national television that told the story of women in rural areas of Cajamarca who learned to read and write using the FOCUS app, so that after many years she found the opportunity she was waiting for to access education. Victor not only arranged with  Dispurse Foundation for Maria's access to the literacy program, he also decided to dedicate a few hours after his day as a cab driver to help her in her learning process. Maria is happy because she is learning and because she will finally not ask for help to manage her business, now she dreams of expanding it and exporting her products.