Women's literacy programs in rural Mali were studied through observation and surveys of 42 participants and 29 nonparticipants. Few participants acquired literacy skills, those that did rarely used them, and literacy acquisition had little socioeconomic impact on women's lives. General constraints on literacy usage in rural villages are discussed, as well as ways that "women's literacy" is appropriated into male-dominated socio-political culture. (Contains 53 references.) (SV)