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April 25, 2003
Literacy and Beyond
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The benefits of USAID-sponsored
interventions to promote literacy currently carried
out by NGOs Africare, ADRA* and OICI** go beyond
the management of agricultural cooperatives--they
also promote better overall education and health
for the participants and their families.
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Literacy is an integral
part of the P.L. 480 food security programs here
in Guinea. Through learning to read and do basic
math, participants are gaining life skills that
enable them to better manage their co-ops, balance
the books, understand how to run a business, which
along with the use of improved seeds and better
gardening techniques have contributed to increases
in agricultural yields--in other words, greater
food security, particularly in poor rural areas
of Guinea.
For many of the women in the agricultural cooperatives
of Héléabhé, a rural community
of small villages outside of Dinguiraye in Upper
Guinea, it’s the first time they’ve
“gone to school” to learn to read
and write--they have been taking classes organized
for women's and men's agricultural and microfinance
agricultural groups by USAID-sponsored NGO Africare.
Some of the women from the Héléabhé
agricultural co-op who have participated in the
ongoing literacy sessions are already teaching
literacy to other women's agricultural groups.
Although the classes are primarily for women,
many men participate int the sessions as well.
As you'll see, the benefits of USAID-sponsored
interventions in Upper Guinea go beyond literacy
to improve the management of agricultural cooperatives--they
also promote better overall education and health
for the participants and their families. After
a recent literacy session with Africare, here’s
what some of the Héléabhé
participants had to say:
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Rougui Condé, Member of
the Banora agricultural co-op:
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Literacy classes in Héléabhé
are held under a mango tree...both men and women
participate. Says Rugui Condé, "I'll
never again be taken advantage of in business affairs." |
I’ve never stepped inside of a schoolroom, but
now I know how to read and write. Literacy is useful
at any age. I know how to record and manage receipts
of 100, 5,000 or 10,000 Guinean francs. I’ll never
again be taken advantage of in business affairs, which
is one of the advantages of the Africare literacy training.
We’ve learned a lot of new gardening techniques,
and know how to care for a garden, regardless of its
size. Before Africare came, we had a lot of problems,
the worst being that our children were thin and malnourished.
Now we’ve learned to ensure that they get all
the vitamins they need from the right foods. Through
the gardening techniques we’ve learned, our ample
harvests allow us to eat well, and to satisfy our needs.
We’ve learned other skills like soapmaking and
fabric dyeing to supplement our incomes. We’ve
also learned how to organize our cooperatives in order
to collectively construct a school, a mosque or a hospital.
Thanks to the co-ops, we see each other regularly and
have good relations with our neighbors--we’ve
learned how to live together as a community.
Djenabou Bah, President of Héléabhé
co-op:
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| "We are now able to
supervise our children in doing their homework,"
says Djenabou Bah. |
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The literacy training we have received has established
the base for a long fraternity amongst us. We are now
able to supervise our children in doing their schoolwork.
Africare has been able to help people throughout this
region.
We’ve learned modren gardening techniques which
through less effort result in a better harvest. We’ve
also learned canning, soap-making, how to dry mangos.
Through our work with Africare in our co-ops, we’ve
been able to participate in regional agricultural fairs
in Conakry, Labé and Kindia, which has helped
open up our minds to new things.
Sadjo Maréga, member of the Benkadi
agricultural cooperative:
I’ve seen a great improvement in the health of
my children. We’ve seen several children die from
malnutrition. Through the “Hearth” sessions
organized by Africare, we now know the vitamin content
and value of many different foods. During the weekly
sessions, we’ve weighed our children to identify
those who were malnourished, and we’ve formulated
a nutritional plan for getting them back to health.
Most of the children had gained weight and were healthy
by the end of the sessions.
Sanoussi Bah, Secretary of the
Héléabhé Agricultural Cooperative:
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"I’ve seen a great
improvement in the health of my children,"
says Sadjo Marega. |
We’ve allowed our wives to take literacy classes
because we see that it’s helps us all. As for
me, I’m eating better meals now. My wife used
to pound peanuts for my sauce in a crude way that wasn’t
very hygienic. Now our agricultural co-op has bought
a grinder, which makes smooth, clean peanut butter.
In addition, my wife and I have both learned to read
and write. I myself have become the secretary of our
co-op. It was after the literacy classes that we were
really able to manage our co-op the way we should. We
all know now, for example, the number of hectares we’re
cultivating, and can estimate our revenue after the
harvest.
Lamou Barry, Member of the Héléabhé
cooperative:
We’re happy with the changes we’ve seen
since Africare started coming here. They helped us obtain
a grinder, which we use for corn and millet, and another
machine that we use to grind leaves and peanuts, all
of which has made our household tasks much easier. We’re
moving forward each day!
*ADRA: Agence Adventiste de Secours et de Development
or the Adventist Development and Relief Agency.
**OICI: Opportunities Industrialization Centers International
Article and Photos by Laura Lartigue
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