The Power of Once Upon a Time

At seven years old, Maya Angelou fell silent. After experiencing trauma, she believed her voice had caused harm, so she chose not to speak for years. But in that silence, she discovered something extraordinary: the power of words. She read poetry, absorbed the rhythm of language, and found refuge in literature. Her silence became a cocoon, and inside it, a storyteller was born.

She later wrote, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” That agony and the triumph of overcoming it became the heartbeat of her life’s work. Maya Angelou did not just tell stories. She taught the world how storytelling could heal, educate, and empower.

Her journey is more than personal; it is a blueprint. Today, a new educational initiative draws from that same blueprint, using storytelling as a non-formal method to support adult women who face exclusion, trauma, or social barriers. These women, like Maya once was, often carry untold stories—stories that, when shared, become bridges to learning and transformation.

In this context, storytelling is not just about expression. It is about education. It makes learning accessible, personal, and deeply engaging. Instead of abstract theories, women explore real-life experiences. They reflect, connect, and grow not just in knowledge, but in confidence and community.

Educators involved in the project are equipped with creative tools to guide this process. They help women turn memory into meaning, and meaning into empowerment. It is a method that values lived experience as a source of wisdom, a way to make adult education not only effective, but deeply human.

Because every “once upon a time” holds the potential to change not only the storyteller, but the world that listens and learns.