DVV International in South Asia

Learning Across a Lifetime

DVV International, the Institute for International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association, believes that learning should never end. In South Asia, our work in Sri Lanka and Afghanistan reflects this belief, helping adults and young people reconnect with learning, livelihoods, and dignity.

Sri Lanka: Creating Opportunities through Lifelong Learning

In Sri Lanka, DVV International works hand in hand with key government partners at national and provincial levels to strengthen lifelong learning systems. Together, we are developing the Lifelong Learning Pathways Model, which creates new opportunities for those who have missed out on formal education, young people and adults who are not in employment, education, or training.

Through career guidance, life coaching, skills training, and mentoring, the model supports individuals to re-enter learning and find pathways to decent work and self-reliance. Our partnerships ensure that these efforts are not isolated projects, but part of a broader, government-led system that links policy to community realities.

Across Ampara and Puttalam, we work at macro, meso, and micro levels, connecting national reform with local action, and turning lifelong learning into something visible and meaningful in everyday life.

Afghanistan: Learning Amidst Adversity

In Afghanistan, DVV International collaborates with the Afghanistan National Association for Adult Education (ANAFE) to promote adult education and community learning. Together, we strengthen literacy, skills, and the capacity of educators, especially supporting women and youth.

Even in difficult times, learning continues to bring hope and strength. Through ANAFE, we see how education helps rebuild lives and communities from within.

The Long View

Across South Asia, DVV International stands for one simple belief: every adult has the right to learn and to grow. We connect learning with opportunity, and people with possibility, turning education into a lifelong journey of empowerment and change.