In 1990, a world conference on Education for All (EFA) was held in Jomtien, Thailand, which reaffirmed the right to education of every citizen of the world. The major challenges were: reducing illiteracy; reaching excluded children or those from poor families; universalizing primary education; and the enrolment of girls. In April 2000 in Dakar, Senegal, the Jomtien recommendations were evaluated and new perspectives were discussed. The Dakar participants reiterated the commitment to Education for All, with a corollary that a financing plan would be developed under the auspices of the United Nations. Illiteracy remains a major challenge for which adequate solutions are needed globally and in Africa in particular.

In April 2017, Father Alfred Kiteso, Director of Fe y Alegria DRC, participated in a video conference between Father Carlos Fritzen, General Coordinator of Fe y Alegria, a team from ECCA Radio and Mr. Pablo Funes, in charge of international cooperation at Entreculturas. The objective of the meeting was to discuss the possibility of launching the ECCA literacy model in D.R. Congo. It was within this framework that in October 2018, Father Alfred Kiteso traveled to Las Palmas, Canary Islands, to formalize the partnership. In May 2019, Ms. Ana Gimenez of ECCA Radio made a trip to D.R. Congo to prepare the first draft of the project. From November 2019 to August 2020, two teachers from Fe y Alegria DRC stayed in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, to prepare the basic teaching material and record the audios.

Since June 2021 in the city of Kikwit, DR Congo, the ECCA project has been teaching literacy to nearly 400 illiterate people throughout the city's neighborhoods. These people are between 16 and 40 years old. They are organized into listening clubs of 50 members and attend classes remotely on the diocesan radio station for four days of the week at the same time. On the fifth day, the tutors organize work sessions to evaluate individual progress and assess the dynamics of each group. Once a week, the project's technical team meets to discuss the project's progress. To facilitate better assimilation, the ECCA method provides illiterate people with the "KIELO YA MAZAYA" or "DOOR OF KNOWLEDGE" teaching aid. This is the basic literacy material, meticulously elaborated in seven levels according to the duration of the training which is seven months.

To launch the project, Fe y Alegria R.D. Congo received Ms. Nieves, member of Radio ECCA, and Mr. Jesus, recruited as a technician for the project. From May 22 to 26, 2021, the two guests stayed in the city of Kikwit, DR Congo, together with the national team of Fe y Alegria. This was the time to organize a technical training for the local team chosen for the realization of the project, to meet the mayor of the city and the bishop of the diocese, to discuss with the tutors of the listening clubs and to exchange with the director of the radio TOMISA of the diocese of Kikwit. From June 01 to 08, 2021, the tutors and the technical team went through the neighborhoods of the city of Kikwit to register the illiterate people. The bishop of the diocese promised to accompany the project of Radio ECCA, and the mayor of the city, for his part, said he was ready to intervene if necessary.

Source: Fe y Alegria