Exploring the Lived Meaning of Literacy among Adult Women in Rural Community Education Programs: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study
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Abstract
Literacy plays a crucial role in shaping social participation, identity, and empowerment, particularly within rural communities where educational access remains limited. Within this context, understanding how adult women experience literacy becomes essential to revealing its deeper cultural and emotional significance. However, existing studies have primarily focused on quantitative outcomes of literacy programs, leaving a gap in understanding how women internalize and interpret literacy as a lived human experience. This study adopts a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of adult women participating in community-based literacy programs in rural areas. Through semi-structured interviews and interpretative phenomenological analysis, the research reveals that literacy is experienced as a transformative process that fosters self-discovery, confidence, and social inclusion. Participants described literacy as both an individual journey toward self-worth and a collective act of empowerment that redefines their social roles within patriarchal structures. The analysis identified five central themes: rediscovering the self, social inclusion, cultural negotiation, collective empowerment, and integration of local wisdom in learning. These findings highlight that literacy extends beyond functional competence to encompass emotional, cultural, and existential dimensions. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of literacy as a lived phenomenon, emphasizing the importance of contextual and experience-based approaches in adult education. The inclusion of explicit methodological details enhances transparency and provides clearer replicability for future phenomenological research in similar rural contexts. The implications suggest that future literacy initiatives should integrate phenomenological insights to promote sustainable, culturally responsive, and empowering learning experiences.
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