Literacy Network student Ahmad Sahil is one of many Afghan refugees who have started a new life in the Wisconsin in the last two years. This fall, Ahmad begins the next step toward the dream career his mother helped inspire as he starts classes in Madison College’s Certified Public Accountancy Program. 

“Although my mother was not well educated, she had completely realized the importance of education for children of a country like Afghanistan,” says Ahmad. “I was taught that education is the only tool one could change his life and the lives of people around him.”

Read more about Ahmad's childhood, career in Afghanistan, and journey to Wisconsin and watch an interview of Ahmad with WKOW 27.

Our fall semester is underway, and we continue to see demand for classes soar, as 123 new students joined returning students in registering for our 40+ free literacy education classes!

This semester includes an exciting expansion of our Essential Literacy program into Madison's north and east sides, a trial hybrid (Zoom/in-person) English class, and more! In addition to attending classes, many students also participate in individual tutoring.

2023 has been a record-breaking year for student numbers. Between January and June 2023, Literacy Network served 1,000 students. This is an all-time high, exceeding the previous record set in 2016 by nearly 30 percent. This total includes 116 refugee students, which is the most refugees served not only in six months, but also in a full calendar year.

Did you know? Literacy Network offers workplace English classes, providing customized on-site English language instruction to support employees’ communication on the job.

There are six workplace classes offered this semester, including the pictured class at Stevens Construction. This recent session explored nouns, practicing forming sentences with tools and equipment used on the job.

Literacy Network is proud to work with employers to offer these classes to increase safety, productivity, performance, and morale!

Miss the event or want to rewatch your favorite parts? A full event video from September 26th's Growing Through Literacy is now available, along with the six-minute video shown during the program! Hear from Community Literacy student Camara, who shares, “When I first started classes, I didn’t know how to read and write, but now I can;” from citizenship student María, who says, “They make us feel comfortable and like you belong here;” and from many others who shared their experiences during this inspiring event. 

Thank you to the more than 150 guests who joined us for this luncheon, as well as the many students, sponsors, volunteers, and other supporters who made this celebration possible!

Approximately two-thirds of Literacy Network students are women. We are proud to share we have received a grant from A Fund for Women, a component fund of Madison Community Foundation. This funding will support programming for women in our Community English classes, where students improve their language skills for the benefit of their families and to support their own education and career goals. Thank you for this vital support!

Please consider monthly and planned giving. Find out more here.