South East Asia Church Based Literacy NSD Project
Project 8818
There is a great need for Multilingual Education for members of the Bunong communities in Mondulkiri, Cambodia. Most Bunong people cannot read or write, even in their own language, so the literacy needs are great. Northeast Community Education and Development Organization (NCED) is committed to supporting the communities with these needs.
The Church Based Literacy Program is assisting the Bunong people in two main ways:
- The implementation of the Bunong literacy program in the churches is directly addressing the community’s low literacy rates while helping to sustain their language and their customs. Literacy rates need to increase in the country’s official language in order to support dealings with authorities and commercial organisations so that the communities’ interests are protected. Literacy rates also need to improve in the Bunong language so that their language and culture can be preserved for future generations.
- Running the literacy program through the local churches means that the Bunong people can be supported to read Scripture in their own language. The program works directly with 12 Bunong churches and the participants in the various programs include children, youth, adults and elderly people.
More recently, the Bunong communities have been affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic and there has been an urgent need to communicate health advice to better protect them from outbreaks and to manage any cases that develop. NCED has been doing this important work with translated written materials and visits to villages (when permitted).
Consultant Development
Project 8807
Experienced trainers, exegetical advisors and translation consultants are critical to the translation process. Scripture translation is being conducted by local translators in more languages than ever before, with 2686 known translation and language projects currently in progress throughout the world.* The need for an effective pathway to develop more trainers, advisors and consultants to support these translation projects has never been more urgent.
Developing consultants comes with significant financial costs. We have created a project for those who are interested in helping to raise up more consultants. We also need your prayers as we start this challenging venture into new territory.
*Wycliffe Global Alliance statistics current as at October 2019
Partner with us
Fully funded!
Our partnership target for 2023 is $5,000
Your gift of $40 will give a computer new life.
If we receive extra funds, this will go towards the following year’s target.
PILAT Training PNG NSD
Project 8835
The Pacific Institute of Languages, Arts and Translation (PILAT) is a training organisation dedicated to preparing Papua New Guineans for Bible translation, literacy and other language development work. PNG has 12% of the world’s languages and needs many additional local translators equipped for the translation task.
Next Step Development enthusiastically supports the PILAT training program. We believe that it is unique and effective. It includes expatriates in its training team, but the outcomes and vision are jointly established with locals through the involvement of Papua New Guinea Bible Translation Association (BTA).
Partner with us
Funds to this Next Step partner will be part of the overall target for Next Step Development.
South Asia 2 Translation and Training NSD
Project 8814
Next Step is working with a student group in South Asia in a program that involves training young people from remote, isolated Christian communities for translation and future leadership roles. Christians are a minority in this country and suffer from a lack of resources and many forms of discrimination. Our current support is focussed on paying the mother-tongue translators and their supervisory personnel, as well as the costs of trainers from Australia.
Partner with us
Our partnership target for 2023 is $30,000
If we receive extra funds, this will go towards next year’s target.
Next Step Technology Fund NSD
Project 8808
A number of national translation organisations have a great heart and passion for Bible translation but when it comes to getting the appropriate technology to do the job, they often have to settle or make do with inferior resources. We can change this. This fund supports national organisations in their computing, training and other technological resource needs so they can make the most of new advances and opportunities.
Partner with us
Our partnership target is $9,000
If we receive extra funds, this will go towards the following year’s target.
Next Step Development
Next Step Development (NSD) is a new initiative of Wycliffe Australia that focuses more intentionally on an interest that we have always had – supporting and empowering local organisations involved in Bible translation and related activities, in locations where we know those organisations well.
There are some key ingredients that are always part of a Next Step program.
Firstly, we do not rush into Next Step relationships quickly. It takes time to build trust.
Secondly, we are determined to exercise our listening skills much more than our talking skills. Our Next Step friends are better able to identify their needs than we are.
Thirdly, Next Step projects are undergirded in prayer, not as an afterthought or incidental component, but as a fundamental cornerstone.
Fourthly, Next Step is about building local capacity. ‘Sustainability’ may have already become a buzz-word, but it is still our objective. Locals ‘doing’and managing their own destinies, with us helping where our own skills or funds can lead to a better outcome, is our objective.
The scope of Next Step is therefore quite wide. We can assist with things like training, equipment, personnel; whatever the roadblocks are to success.
We anticipate that there will initially be no more than a dozen of these key relationships so that the appropriate level of engagement can be maintained.
We already have Next Step friends in Papua New Guinea (Bible Translation Association, BTA), two organisations in South Asia, Indonesia (Kartidaya), and are in discussions with several more.
This is an exciting phase of the development of Wycliffe Australia. Please join us in prayer and with financial support if you are able!
Thanks for your patience...