The adult literacy rate in São Tomé and Príncipe has increased substantially over the past thirty years. While in 2001-2011 the literacy rate was between 69.5 and 85 percent,  it increased to 92.8 percent by 2018. 

Despite the negative individual and collective repercussions of illiteracy, particularly in terms of social, economic and political exclusion, the country had no official policy or public provision for education for youth and adults (individuals aged 15 and over). The poorest districts had higher illiteracy rates than more affluent districts  and males, both poor and nonpoor, had higher literacy rates than their female counterparts. Young girls were more prone to grade repetitions or dropping out, the quality of education was poor and children living in remote areas had limited access to the education system.

Based on an initial request from the Government of São Tomé and Príncipe, the Solidarity Literacy project was implemented by AlfaSol, a non-governmental organization working in Brazil since 1997 on the reduction of illiteracy rates and promotion of youth and adult lifelong education opportunities. The South-South cooperation project, carried out in close cooperation between AlfaSol and São Tomé and Príncipe, received support from the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC). By reducing illiteracy rates and increasing overall schooling, the initiative promoted youth and adult education in São Tomé and Príncipe, ultimately contributing to the expansion of the personal autonomy of youth and adults derived from the incorporation of reading, writing and mathematical skills into their daily lives.

An initial diagnosis of the educational context of the youth and adult population in São Tomé and Príncipe was conducted by AlfaSol together with a local technical team. The diagnosis was based on official indicators, the mapping of pre-existing actions and an analysis of the socioeconomic and cultural environment. This diagnosis led to the formulation of an initial work proposal highlighting priority themes and actions to build the process of continuous schooling for youth and adults. 

The project conducted the following main activities: 

• support for the formulation of public policies, legislation, pilot projects and programmes for early literacy and youth and adult education; 
• selection and continued training of local coordinators and literacy coaches; 
• identification in Brazil of specialists coming from higher education institutions, research centres and NGOs to elaborate an initial proposal for a training process and to act as trainers; 
• mobilization and enrolment of students throughout São Tomé and Príncipe; 
• training of the local programme management team, including on-site sessions and technical internships in Brazil; 
• organization of experience exchange seminars to discuss educational policies and the expansion of educational opportunities for young people and adults; 
• development of courses and didactic materials adapted to the local needs; and 
• capacity building in the fields of partnerships, fundraising, social mobilization and monitoring and evaluation of educational processes. 

Between 2001 and 2011, the project trained 110 teachers and benefited more than 21,000 São Tomé and Príncipe youth and adults who were illiterate or had little schooling and contributed greatly to reducing the illiteracy rate in the country (now estimated at 7 percent ). On average, 60 percent of those attending the initial literacy course continued their schooling through enrolment in the country’s public schools. To ensure the sustainability and continuity of the actions in the long term, the project supported the national government to establish a specific body within the Ministry of Education, the Directorate of Technical and Professional Education and Youth and Adult Education. 

The Solidarity Literacy project was based on the internationally acclaimed experience of AlfaSol in Brazil, where 5.6 million students benefited between 1997 and 2017. Besides São Tomé and Príncipe, the initiative has been replicated in other Portuguese-speaking countries (Cabo Verde, Mozambique and Timor-Leste), as well as in a Spanish-speaking country (Guatemala).