The communities represent the smallest self-governing unit of the radical-democratic administration of Rojava and northern Syria. They consist of about 150 households and serve as councils in which people represent and administer themselves.

At the request of mothers in Kobanê, the women's movement Kongreya Star has launched a Kurdish literacy program in the communities. Many older women cannot write and read, or they can write only the Arabic script.

ANHA news agency attended one of these courses in the Şehîd Basil commune in the Botan Rojava (western) neighborhood of Kobanê. Twenty women between the ages of 30 and over 70 attend the course.

Teacher Emine Mihemed reports on the great enthusiasm of mothers and says: "Before the Rojava revolution, we did not have the opportunity to learn our mother tongue. Now we can learn it freely. Our mothers are eager to learn to write and read Kurdish.”

"Language is the identity of a human being"

Xanim Hesen (74) comments on the course as follows: "All the mothers in the communities now learn their mother tongue. We have made great sacrifices for the Kurdish language."

Medîne Elî (40) says that all those who campaigned for the Kurdish identity before the revolution were punished by the regime:" We are a bit late, but still we learn how to write and read our language. We taught our children to speak Kurdish. All mothers should also learn to read and write Kurdish."

Kongreya Star is preparing to set up such courses in all the communes in the city.