Working with illiterate adults in Cyabakamyi Sector, Nyanza District, Southern Province, Rwanda.
on Melissa Hipkins (Rwanda), 05/Nov/2010 11:42, 34 days ago
The introduction, in Rwanda, two years ago of free nine years basic education, soon to be extended to twelve years, has left the parents and adult family members with a problem. Many of them cannot read or write and yet, they are expected to support and help their children through school. The idea of their children having skills way beyond their comprehension has left parents bemused and somewhat reluctant to send their children to school, against Government’s wishes and the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG)(Goal 2: Ensure that by 2015 children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.)The world is edging closer to universal primary education, but too slowly to meet the 2015 target. Enrolment in sub-Saharan Africa has increased by 15 percentage points between 2000 and 2007. However, despite this breakthrough, almost half of all children not attending primary school live in this region. DFIDTo overcome this illiteracy stigma, one school, Groupe Scolaire Gahengeli, has encouraged their local adult community themselves to go back to school and learn the basic skills of reading and writing. However, without materials, money to pay the trainers this embryonic initiative is in danger of drawing to a close before it has really got established. Funding is urgently needed to support the local Head teacher, whose inspirational idea this project was, to enable him to continue with this life changing project.Cyabakamyi is one of the more remote rural sectors in Nyanza District, with an adult illiteracy rate of over 48%. Small subsistence farms dominate the hilly countryside and offer the only means of income for many families in the area. Pascal Rukundo, the Head Teacher, has drawn the local community together by offering them a chance to gain skills many never dreamt of ever realising. The years of repression prior to the 1994 genocide and the 100 days of violence have meant that this generation lost the opportunity to learn even the rudiments. He started in May 2010 with a small group. Slowly as the word spread more people came to his classes. He uses part of the school out of hours as a meeting place. At the moment he and one of his colleagues give up their spare time using what meagre resources the school can spare. After the first four month teaching period he plans to set a simple test to reinforce that progress has been made. All the learners that pass (almost all he says!) will be awarded a certificate to show to their family. He would like to extend and expand the project, opening out to more locals and continuing with the first cohort. But he does not have the resources (reading books, pencils, paper, and exercise books) to develop the project, by giving this rural adult community skills to overcome extreme poverty. Both the Sector and the District are very proud of this initiative, but lack the funds to support the project in even a small way.VSO volunteers have worked in Nyanza district education office for many years, slowly gaining the trust and confidence of the whole education sector. The funds raised will be used to buy reading books, posters, consumable materials and to provide a small stipend to the teachers running the courses. Pascal Rukundo will oversee the day to day activities, whilst VSO District based volunteers will visit on a quarterly basis to ensure the continuation of the initiative (presenting certificates of achievement?).By sponsoring this worthy cross MDG scheme, donors will be seen as a leading light in working towards the Millennium Development Goals in this rural community(Goal 1: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day.)The proportion of people living below the poverty line has fallen from 42% in 1990 to 25% in 2005. Based on this trend, the developing world as a whole is on track to meet this MDG target. But Sub-Saharan Africa remains off-track falling from 57% in 1990 to 51% in 2005. On this trend, the region will not meet the 2015 target. DFIDThe other day Pascal sent me a text which really says it all:‘Good morning.I really appreciated You for the financial project that you made in favour of GS Gahengeri,in its project of training people around the school about development studies and foreign languages like English and Kiswahili.We hope once that project will succeed,it 'll enable our initiative to go on well,and permit continuity.Yesterday,we ended the first semester and we gave them school report.IT WAS WONDERFUL.Once again,thanks a million.>RUKUNDO PASCAL.Headteacher of GS GAHENGERI.