Can you read this?

For the United Nations, one of the development indicators is literacy. In 2009, the UN released various statistics regarding the development of 182 countries in the world - Niger ranks at the bottom of the list as 182 - least developed. In terms of adult literacy:

• Canada - 99%
• Niger - 28.7%

Last year, in a survey done in 2 Fulani villages, we found that of the surveyants & their families:

• 7% completed primary school
• 9% of the children currently attend school
• 13% ever attended school

This year, I am hoping to help change this statistic among the faces of those I meet.

This goal includes a multi-phase plan:

1. Alphabet book

I've read these books myself, to my nieces, to smaller cousins - you've read them too . . . A is for apple, acrobat and airplane.

So in the last few months, I started compiling an alphabet book in Fulfulde to help with letter recognition - hopefully a precursor to literacy lessons.

In my Fulfulde book, A is for: almeti (matches), albacce (onions), ara (donkey).

2. Literacy Primer

In the last few months, as well, I have been working with two other organizations to finish writing a Fulfulde literacy primer. This book includes a key word for each letter, syllable recognition games, a short story, phonetics of new words . . . it reminds me a bit of Sesame Street when the characters taught a new word and the 2 syllables entered the tv screen from each side until they connected and made a word.

My job has been to help with the short story writing and the composition of the booklet - the syllable recognition games and phonetics. The short story writing has been great for my vocabulary, as none of the stories can contain words with letters not yet taught. So, I search through my dictionaries to find words that fit in the story line of that key word. I have learned so many new words!

The stories remind more of some childhood stories as well: See Spot. See Spot run. The story in the text above is about a scorpion:

The scorpion came to Ruwa's house.

Ruwa ran.

He is fast.

Rugga came.

He killed the scorpion.

3. Fulfulde Literacy Class

My Fulani friend Abdoulaye is a teacher in Niamey and has a heart for children learning to read. In his neighbourhood and among his village are a number of teenagers 13-21 who are unable to afford to attend school. These teenagers have organized themselves and started a group to raise funds in order to receive some education - a number of them desire to learn to read Fulfulde.

They also desire to learn numbers and math. (Those who know me well are now laughing!) No, I am not planning on teaching math!! My friend Abdoulaye, a teacher, can do this!

In February - pending the printing of the literacy primer - I hope to start Fulfulde literacy class out in this neighbourhood. The students range from teenagers as part of this group above to possibly some men who want to learn as well as young women (married and unmarried). I have already learned of cultural differences surrounding education - another woman whom I visit in the area who would like to join the class. Abdoulaye told her she was too old, when she insisted, he decided to leave the decision up to Khadiza (me). By all means - if Aissa wants to learn to read, she can come to class!!

I hope that through these classes, beyond these participants learning to read, I can teach them some about development and health. Already, the story on 'ee' is about a mosquito net above your bed (leeso) that protects (reena) you from sickness. Once their reading level progresses beyond the first primer, some materials we have in Fulfulde are health and wellness booklets we use for training in the villages.

My greatest hope and prayer is to share with them about Jesus, and that one day - they will be able to read the Word of God in their own language!