On 8th September 2025, Kwale County became the heart of Kenya’s International Literacy Day celebrations. Leaders from both national and county government gathered, including PS Joseph Motari, Deputy Governor Chirema Kombo, and the Director of Adult Literacy, Franklyn Mugambi. But while the dignitaries gave inspiring speeches, the real stars of the day were the learners themselves — ordinary men and women whose lives are being transformed by literacy.
Learning at Any Age
Among the 80 learners supported by the Mombasa Community Development Trust (MCDT), there are mothers who can now help their children with homework, shopkeepers who can finally keep proper records, and farmers who proudly sign their names instead of using a thumbprint.
Since September 2023, MCDT has been walking alongside these learners through the Adult Literacy Program. The first group graduated in 2024, and now the second phase is thriving across six centers — Mgombezi, Kibotoni, Vigurungani, Malomani, and Mazeras. Already, 30 learners are preparing for the 2025 proficiency exams. For them, learning is not about passing a test — it is about reclaiming dignity and opening doors to a better future.
More Than Words on a Page
During the celebrations, MCDT Trust Groups showcased their projects: small businesses, farming ventures, and creative community initiatives. These projects told a bigger story — that literacy is more than just reading and writing. It is about:
One learner put it simply:
Before, I feared speaking in public. Now, I can stand and introduce myself with confidence. I feel alive again.
More Than Reading and Writing
During the Literacy Day exhibition, MCDT Trust Group members proudly showcased their projects, demonstrating how literacy and skills training go hand in hand. For many, learning has brought:
Faith in Action
For MCDT, literacy is part of a bigger mission. As a program of the ACK Diocese of Mombasa, in partnership with Five Talents UK, we are committed to eradicating extreme poverty. By combining literacy, financial training, and trust group support, we are helping households start small and grow big.
Every book opened, every savings meeting held, every business plan written these are steps toward a socially transformed and economically empowered community, living with dignity.
A Brighter Tomorrow
As we look to the future, we celebrate not just what has been achieved but what is still to come. Learners preparing for their exams in 2025 are not only studying for themselves — they are paving the way for their children and grandchildren.
On this International Literacy Day, we echo the wisdom of Proverbs 1:5:
“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance.”
The journey of literacy is the journey of hope. And in Kwale, hope is alive, one learner at a time.
MCDT: Building dignity, empowering communities, and transforming lives through literacy and opportunity.
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