The aim of Mothers’ Union is primarily supporting family life on a local, national and international level. To this end there are many initiatives happening, tailored to the needs of particular communities and run by volunteers trained by the MU. One of particular interest is the Literacy Programme.It is estimated that there are 480 million women around the world who can’t read or write and who therefore have very limited options in their lives. However, the MU literacy programmes have been catalysts and have empowered women to transform their own and their families’ lives. Over 200,000 women worldwide have now learnt to read and write. This means they can now write their own names, budget for their families, start their own businesses, earn an income, pay for their children’s education and even access the internet. They have been able to read the bible and participate in their churches, started local savings and credit groups, and taken on leadership roles in their communities. If you would like to read real life accounts of the success of the Literacy Programme there are articles on the Mothers Union website.