“Sign here, Please...”

Literacy Project, Ivory Coast, West Africa

How often do you sign your name in a week? Perhaps several, and without even thinking about it. Signing your name probably doesn’t give you much joy, however, for Mrs Kakou from Ivory Coast, signing her name recently was quite a joyful event.

Can an old dog learn new tricks?

All her adult life, Mrs Kakou had wanted to be able to read and write. Several times she had enrolled in evening literacy classes, but had never succeeded in being able learn even a few letters. It was as if her ability to learn was somehow blocked. The rote learning methods used and the teachers’ lack of sympathy for her problems didn’t help either. Then one day French literacy classes started up in her local church. After being encouraged by Angèle, one of the teachers, she decided to try again. She enrolled in the beginners’ class and attended three two-hour classes each week. Gradually Mrs Kakou found she was learning: the lessons sank in and she was actually remembering what was being taught. Little by little she began to read and write. Angèle’s enthusiasm for teaching and her encouraging style inspired her to continue. She has now completed two years of classes and can read material other than the lesson primer.

A service to others

What a thrill it was for her then, when Angele, who was getting married, asked her to be her witness at the wedding. This meant accompanying the couple to the civil service and signing the wedding register after the ceremony. She could only do this now because, thanks to the literacy classes, she could sign her name. The special day came and the register book was signed without a problem. “Mrs Kakou can write her signature very clearly,” said Angèle afterwards.

What is Andragogy?

The class is part of the national Ivory Coast church literacy project and the teachers have received special training in andragogy, where the learners are self-directed, to equip them to teach other adults. The program began three years ago with two classes, but during the last year there were four classes with four levels. At the end of the academic year, five students in the most advanced class sat and passed the exam which students sit when they finish primary school. A special ceremony marked the end of the year and the literacy inspector from the government’s local office attended. He commended the students and teachers for their work. “Your literacy centre is the best known in the region – even our head office in Abidjan knows of the work here. Keep up the good work.”