Fighting Illiteracy

In Society

Mrs. Najla Kfoury, president of the Al-Nahda An-Nisaiyah association, extended a family invitation to the journalists at her home, and delivered to them a fine, warm address on the association and its noble aims.

At its first founding in 1924, the work of the Al-Nahda An-Nisaiyah association rested on encouraging the national industries and organizing exhibitions; but in the last three years it has seen that its first duty is to enlighten the Lebanese woman so that she may be a sound member of society. It therefore undertook a first campaign to fight illiteracy among women, by founding five schools in the following villages: Mimess, Kfar Remman, Jibchit, Aramoun, and Wajh al-Hajar; and it lately resolved to open three schools in Rmaileh, Ain al-Safsaf, and Kabba.

Four hundred Lebanese girls have opened their eyes to learning and light in these villages, thanks to the efforts and sacrifices made by the devoted president and members of this association. And it has now resolved to launch a broad campaign on behalf of its old and new schools, which comes down to this: that every Lebanese man and woman pay half a Lebanese lira as a yearly subscription toward fighting women's illiteracy in Lebanon.

Mrs. Najla Kfoury closed her address saying: "Four hundred girls have opened their eyes upon life... tomorrow eight hundred, and the day after, hundreds upon hundreds, and thousands, until we rout — and you rout with us — illiteracy, in a homeland where it is a disgrace that a single girl should still be living the life of caves and wilds."

This work, undertaken by the Lebanese woman, deserves encouragement and appreciation, and The Woman's Voice hopes it will meet a fine echo in all Lebanese circles, so that the springs of good may awaken in all the Lebanese and they may come forward to take part by paying their modest subscription. And it wishes this association success in its great humanitarian project.