The implementation of adult education programmes has been evaluated and the findings show some successes. However, most beneficiaries of these programmes have ended up living in poverty-stricken shacks in the informal settlements of Windhoek. The aim of this article is to report on the perceptions of the beneficiaries of the adult education programmes about livelihood improvement in selected informal settlements of Windhoek. The study used a qualitative approach with a phenomenological focus. The sample of the study comprised 37 beneficiaries. Snowball, convenient, and purposive sampling procedures were used to select the participants. The study also found that the adult education programmes are successfully impacting on the improvement of living standards of people in various aspects of life. Although such programmes are in a way tools to combat social evils, they need boosting mechanisms to make them more meaningful in the everyday lives of the beneficiaries. It is recommended that further research be conducted to help develop programmes that address the sustainable educational needs of adults.
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