Because of forced relocation in 1996 and a lack of access to education due to the LRA conflict, many young adults in northern Uganda had no opportunity to complete, or even begin, their education. Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) provides training for members of Invisible Children’s Village, Savings, and Loans Associations in numeracy, reading, and writing in the local language, Luo. It empowers community members in their everyday lives by encouraging and enabling group members to maintain accurate and regular records of their savings and investment activities. Each group meets for 1-2 hours per week, and after a final assessment, members graduate from the 1-year course.

Just like VSLA, the FAL program is closely linked to our rehabilitation and reintegration efforts. When individuals return from the battlefield, a FAL group is formed within their community in order to provide educational opportunities to both the returnee and the communities where they live.