DVV International: Stories

February 2025Mariia Mylohorodska, Ukraine

Learning that heals: How education brings back hope in times of war

Mariia Mylohorodska is a project coordinator at DVV International’s office in Ukraine. Three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, she shares how – amid war and uncertainty – she and many other Ukrainians found strength in learning.

February 2025Joseph Masonda, Tanzania

1st East African Conference on Recognition of Prior Learning – outcomes, reflections, and next steps

Group photo of participants at a conference. The people are standing and sitting in several rows in a formal event room. Banners with the logos of vhs DVV International and a government agency can be seen in the background. A lectern with vhs branding is on the right of the picture. The participants are wearing formal clothes, some are smiling while others are looking neutrally into the camera.

Establishing a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is a key policy initiative adopted by many countries to regulate qualifications, ensure quality assurance, and enhance the recognition and comparability of skills and credentials. In line with the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2016-2025, countries are encouraged to develop national qualifications frameworks that facilitate regional and international mobility of learners and workers.

One essential component of this framework is the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), which validates competencies acquired through non-formal pathways. Non-formal education equips youth and adults with employable skills, thus improving access to job markets and contributing to sustainable development. This calls for an interrogation of RPL…

December 2024Interview with Helen Dabu, Philippines

A strong voice for adult learning and education in Asia – ASPBAE turns 60

The Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE) is one of DVV International’s key partners in Asia. The network represents 264 civil society organisations and individual members in 31 countries. On the occasion of ASPBAE’s 60th anniversary in November 2024, Helen Dabu, Secretary General of ASPBAE, talks about the successes and challenges of this civil society network.

A woman stands at a lectern and speaks into a microphone. She is wearing a black dress and a reddish-brown stole. In the background, a man in a suit with a gold medal around his neck stands in front of wooden panelling. At the top of the picture is a screen with a graphic image.

December 2024Greta Pelucco, Belgium

European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) honoured for impact on adult education in Europe

EAEA had the honour of being inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education (IACE) Hall of Fame in November 2024 in Florence, Italy. The award was accepted by EAEA's President, Uwe Gartenschlaeger, and Secretary General, Gina Ebner.

November 2024David Harrington, Malawi

First Africa Adult Learning and Education (ALE) Conference

A group photo of people gathered on a lawn with palm trees. Two banners on the sides display the text 'MOJA: Adult Learning and Education for Sustainability and Resilience', and sunlight casts shadows across the grass.

The First Africa Adult Learning and Education (ALE) Conference, hosted by DVV International in Cape Town, South Africa, was held from 30 to 31 October 2024. It acknowledged the potential of ALE to contribute to community development and to the Just Transition in Africa. The conference, themed Adult Education for a Just Transition: ALE as a Key to Community Development, brought together adult education practitioners from 16 African nations, including Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Togo and Uganda, as well as Germany.

November 2024Joseph Masonda, Tanzania

International literacy week in Tanzania: A celebration of progress and promise

Every year, communities around the world come together to celebrate International Literacy Week (ILW). This day, established by UNESCO in 1967, is dedicated to promoting the importance of literacy as a tool for empowering individuals and building more inclusive societies.