Literacy identified as tool to empower community

A MINING company in Morobe has identified literacy as a tool to empower the community and is facilitating an adult literacy programme.
Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture believes that adult learners would encourage their children to be educated by being able to read the Bible and use services such as banking.
This was stated at a day-long adult literacy stakeholder sustainability workshop held at the National Agriculture Research Centre outside Lae on Oct 28.
WGJV general manager for Sustainability and External Relations David Wissink was pleased with the schools operating in the project area.
“You’re empowering them to stand up and talk, to read the Bible, to sign their names, to open a bank account – to have a more fulfilling life,” he said.
“You’re also preparing them to understand the changes and be ready to work either with the project or somewhere else.
“We’re starting with adult literacy because most of the villagers don’t have work experience.
“These trainings could lead to work-place literacy.”
Adult literacy teacher Esther Cletus said of the 18 adults, 16 had never been to school. But they can now read and write.
“They came to learn because they wanted to be able to read the Bible,” Cletus said.
“For years, during Sunday service, only one person reads the Bible.
“For these mothers to be able to read the Bible in church for the first time is empowering.”