There is something that you are
doing right now, which you are likely not even thinking about. In fact, you do it so easily, it probably
simply feels natural, normal. It may very
well be that you don’t know anyone (apart from small children) who can’t do
this activity. The action that I’m
talking about is reading. It is a skill
which we learn while we are still young and it stays with us for our entire
lives. But can you imagine how your
world would change if you could not read?
In Rwanda, the government is
firmly committed to providing the best education it can to its people, both
boys and girls. However, that wasn’t
always the case. In earlier days, education
wasn’t always available. Nor was it
always valued. As a result, today in
Rwanda there are still many adults—mostly women—who are illiterate (approximately 29%). But the negative impact of
illiteracy on their lives goes far beyond the inability to read. It causes you to struggle greatly with a low self-image. You may be very clever and
wise, but when most of the people around you, maybe including your children,
have this skill but you don’t, it can create feelings of being
unintelligent, isolated or inadequate.
Others can view you the same way.
Statistics show that domestic violence is higher against the women who
find themselves in this situation. In
business, it is easy to be cheated by others since not only can you not read
but you also don’t really understand numbers.
Much of life is shaped and shaded by this single issue.
That was the case with Theophile
who lives in the little village of Kabatwa in NW Rwanda. When he was growing up, his family had many
cows. He was the only boy in his family
so his father wouldn’t allow him to go to school. He had to stay home to watch the herd. And when he tried to go to church, his father
would beat him, because it meant he wasn’t tending the cows.
During the genocide in 1994, his
father was killed, but thankfully his mother survived. She gave him permission to start to attend church. This was a good thing, but it also led to
feelings of great shame when he realized that he couldn’t read like most people
there. As time went by, he and his wife Phoibe, who was also unable to read, became increasingly active at church. However, when the pastor began asking him to
become a leader in the church and serve as a deacon, he refused. The main reason was his illiteracy. It made him feel so ashamed and he was
convinced that he could never fulfill the expectations of being a deacon.
In 2014, the Baptist church in
Kabatwa began a Literacy ministry. This
was through the Literacy Project which is sponsored each year by CBM. Theophile and his wife quickly signed up to
join the class. And now they can both
read! Through this very practical church
ministry, a whole new world has opened up for them. Today Theophile joyfully serves his church as a
deacon. And he was also asked to be the
Head of the Literacy Association for their congregation.
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| Theophile reading the Bible with Laetitia, the Literacy Project Manager (photo by R. Vanderveen) |
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| Theophile and his wife Phoibe |
This association now functions
independently, being no longer funded through the Literacy Project. The members work together to save money which
can be used to help themselves or others in the church or community. They grow potatoes and raise bees for honey
which are sold in local markets. The
literacy teacher, Samuel, who received training through the project, continues to have
a passion to teach others how to read.
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| The Literacy Association in the Kabatwa Baptist Church |
Today Rwanda seeks to make
schooling (grades 1-12) available to all children, which means that there are
schools accessible throughout the country for any child who wants to go. However, there is still the requirement that
school fees must be paid for things like tuition, uniform, and lunches. As a result, the poorest children are still
at risk of missing school if the fees cannot be paid. Because of the significant negative impact of
illiteracy, CBM partners with the Rwandan Baptists (AEBR) in the
Women’s Literacy Project.
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| Literacy classes in lots of different settings |
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| Literacy teachers are the key to success |
Additionally, there are also
several other projects which include school fees as part of their focus: Guardians of Hope (for HIV/AIDS affected
families); Orphans & Vulnerable Children; Pastors’ Children Scholarship
Project. And through these efforts it is
so exciting to see a whole new world opening up for women, men and children!
