Moba Literacy – Africa

AFRICA

OVERSEAS PROJECTS

63.7% of $28,517 at 25-Apr-2024

Project 8310

Transformation through literacy

This project, among the Moba people of northern Togo, provides new opportunities and greater choice for the poor and illiterate, and particularly for women, who make up 75% of the participants.

In a recent literacy campaign 198 Moba women and men, many of whom have had little or no previous formal schooling, took the opportunity to attend 14 different literacy classes offered by Moba teachers and supervisors funded by this program.

Kombaté, a Moba woman, wrote: “These classes have helped those of us who were not able to go to [formal] school. For me particularly, there’s been great benefit in my reading of the Word of God and in my apprenticeship [as a seamstress]”.

David was 31 when he took a Moba literacy course run at a local church. The following year he took an advanced Moba course and additional mentoring. David said it was these literacy skills in Moba that have enabled him to lead the local church and to train others how to preach the Word of God. “I thank God for inspiring the leaders of ATAPEB (Wycliffe partner in Togo) to think of us illiterates and to provide a way for our full development,” David said.

These funds cover the costs for classes, Moba teachers and supervisors, and material production. It costs approximately $100 to deliver this church-based literacy training program for each participant.

Partner with us

Our partnership target for 2024 is $28,517

If we receive extra funds, this will go towards the following year’s target.

Support Moba Literacy – Africa

Other ways to give

Cheques or Money Orders: Make out to 'Wycliffe Australia' and post to Wycliffe Australia, 70 Graham Rd, Kangaroo Ground VIC 3097

Email or ring (03) 9712 2710 for direct deposit information or to give at other frequencies.

Include Wycliffe in your will or give through Steer?

Latest Updates from Moba Literacy – Africa

07 February 2023

The Moba Literacy project has been innovative in several ways over the years. This was the first literacy project, of SIL in Togo or Benin, to use audio recordings of lessons to help teachers and students who have not quite been able to succeed in their classes in a single season. This was the first project to use cell phones for literacy lessons, for on-going support at the end of a class, or for new students. The personnel of ATAPEB have spread their vision to other literacy projects, which have caught the vision and are hoping to do literacy via WhatsApp. As the “red zone” (ie terrorist activity) increasingly encroaches on the Moba territory, this method of spreading learning has become ever more important and appreciated.

(picture: Literacy teachers who successfully completed a training course)

05 November 2021

Literacy classes began in the first week of January – there were 10 beginner classes and 4 second year classes. Three refresher courses for teachers were run – in January, February and March. All teachers received training on how to use the Moba New Testament in literacy classes. All classes were adequately supervised and final evaluations completed in mid-April. Diplomas were awarded to all classes 10-14 May. Some church leaders kept the diplomas to be awarded during church services, in order to motivate others for the next campaign. A writer’s workshop was held 19-20 May entirely in Moba. Seven writers (3 men and 4 women), of whom one was an elder, took part. The purpose of the training was to teach how to write news articles and stories, with the goal of publishing them.

30 November 2016

The Moba literacy project has been ongoing for a few years. We thank the faithful supporters who have given towards this project and enabled testimonies such as Noumpoa’s, mother of seven:

I had gone to spend Sunday night with my parents in order to be able to get medical care on Monday morning. On my return, I did not see my daughter, who is eleven years of age and illiterate.

After asking around, I learned that a young man came to take her Sunday night. Thank God that we learned in the primers the seriously bad consequences of child marriage and the advice that the primers gave us for having an enlightened marriage (to be at least twenty years old and have a job so as not to be always dependent on one’s husband). Thus I went to see the sub-chief of my village on Thursday. Since the sub-chief did not want to deal with the situation immediately, I told him that I preferred to put the problem into the hands of more competent authorities.

I was in the process of going to see that authority when I received a telephone call that my daughter had been returned. I am very happy that literacy brought me out of ignorance. Without literacy, my daughter would have had to live with the seriously bad consequences of child marriage.’