Christian international development charity Feed the Minds (FTM) is appealing to the Christian community to lend its support to female literacy for its 2008 Lent Appeal.

The charity currently supports literacy projects within 20 countries across the Globe, designed to help women gain basic literacy skills that will benefit the individuals, their families and wider community.

One such project is based in Afghanistan, where under the Taliban regime there was no female education, girl's schools were burned down and women were forbidden to work. Today, women's literacy in the country stands at only 12.5 per cent.

Feed the Minds has developed literacy programmes centred on health and hygiene, with the most vulnerable in society, such as orphans or widows, selected to participate. This training results in women learning to read health prevention materials and has seen increases in the number of children being immunised. They also learn basic arithmetic, enabling them to participate in community projects and commerce.

Josephine Carlsson, Director of Feed the Minds, said; "At Feed the Minds we know that investing in the education of women is vital if we are to see long-term improvements in poor and disadvantaged communities.

"The amounts needed are so small compared to the benefit they bring. It costs just £47.25 to provide a literacy teacher for each term in Afghanistan. For just £15 per month 30 people can gain the confidence and skills to take charge of their own lives again."

Organisations collecting for the appeal will receive feedback on how their donation has been spent in addition to regular newsletters and the charity's Annual Review.

For more information, go to www.feedtheminds.co.uk/