"I don't have the words" on France 2: supported by Kendji Girac, they have eight weeks to escape illiteracy

It's a problem that is rarely discussed. In France, nearly 3.7 million people experience significant difficulty reading or writing . This is a real daily struggle in a world where words are everywhere, from supermarkets to administrative forms. Leading to mockery and humiliation from childhood, these deficiencies often wreak havoc, pushing those who suffer from them to develop avoidance strategies or withdrawal. The result is low self-esteem.

Kendji Girac is no stranger to this downward spiral. The singer with gypsy roots long hid his illiteracy out of fear of what others would think. Out of shame, too. Before deciding to learn to read and write for himself and his children.

It's therefore with good reason that France 2 chose him to embody "I Don't Have the Words, 8 Weeks to Get Out of Illiteracy." In this original format, broadcast Tuesday from 9:10 p.m., seven people decide to take an intensive two-month reading and writing course. The goal: to change the course of their destiny.

Aged between 20 and 70, this group of fighters comes from all walks of life. But they all share a common suffering. Like Mario, a self-employed tree surgeon, who struggles to write his four children's names after a childhood often deprived of school. This father must therefore rely on his son for all the paperwork for his family business. Eager to relieve him of this chore, he hopes to use this experience to be able to "manage" on his own when it comes to preparing quotes for his clients.

Because that's one of the virtues of this fast-paced program: showing the daily difficulties that people suffering from illiteracy must overcome. A practical example is the supermarket when their trainer, Aurore, asks them to write a shopping list, then go and get the requested products. The seven are forced to rely on passersby, their phone apps, or just luck. One thing is certain: they're all struggling.

Whether it's classroom lessons, a theater workshop, or real-life experience, the program is intense, under the watchful eye of Kendji Girac, who is very involved. The training quickly bears fruit, with some initial victories for these very engaging students, even if the road ahead remains long. In any case, we're pleased to see the public service shine a spotlight on this reality that's too rarely shown on screen.