Learn to write and win a fridge

That’s the basic theme of a campaign by the ministry of education to fight illiteracy. Especially for women, of course. Turkey has a population of around 70 million and about 5 million of them are illiterate. In order to make more women in particular attend literacy classes, the ministry has come up with a plan in cooperation with a bank: every woman who successfully completes a course wins a fridge or a washing machine. I’m sure in my country – the Netherlands – such an idea would provoke criticism from all sorts of feminist groups, but I think it’s a wonderful idea. Women who can’t read or write are usually housewives, and they might be much more interested in a course if it wins them a machine. Good luck ladies!