World Literacy Canada (WLC) is a registered charitable organization that uses literacy to fight poverty and advance the cause of social justice. We support and deliver a range of community-based education projects in Canada, India, and Nepal. We are focused on literacy. With 58 years experience successfully delivering literacy education, we believe that illiteracy is both a cause and consequence of poverty. We see literacy as an essential element in the struggle for equality. Literacy is about much more than just reading and writing – it is about access to jobs, the market, and how we participate in an increasingly interconnected world. Literacy enables a person to exercise his or her right to participate in governance, to affect decision-making, and to make one’s voice heard. Literacy gives a person confidence that his or her opinions and contribution matter. This is the essence of democracy, and literacy is a central vehicle for achieving this goal.