Literacy Programs
LEARNING TO READ TO READ THE BIBLE
Being able to read and have access to the Bible and other good literature is crucial to improving one’s health and welfare and living a Godly life.
TEACHER TRAINING WORKSHOPS
- All teachers are volunteers.
- Literacy/ESL classes are held where there are learners – whether in prisons, leper colonies, or villages.
- Student teachers are taught to teach with love.
- They learn how to draw lessons and the 5 basic steps to teaching adults to read and write.
- Teachers practice until confident of abilities.
- After TTW’s are held, follow up visits with teachers helps them to improve their skills.
OUTCOMES AS OF September 2017
- Total teachers trained since 2014: 3,205
- Teachers trained since Oct 2016: 243
- Total learners: 18,247
- Total literacy graduates completing 72 lessons in villages: 794, and in prisons: 590
- English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers trained: 22
- ESL graduates: 36
- Prison ESL – New learners: 161
Equipment:
- Tens of thousands of books have been printed.
- 8,000+ reading glasses distributed to classes.
EFFECTS of LITERACY and ESL PROGRAMS
- People from various religions and denominations are in literacy classes together.
- Families are learning God’s principles for living together.
- Communities are uniting and working together, helping each other.
- People have come to know Jesus as their Savior.
New Literacy Programs
Two classes of people with leprosy and disabilities started in 2017.
- All class materials are provided freely.
- Teaching methods are modified to meet their special needs.
- Each lesson time is extended to optimize student learning.
- One class is near graduation!
ERUTE PRISON: LIBRARIES IN PRISONS
In early 2017, HAN expanded classes into Lira’s Erute Farm Prison. HAN has been requested to provide a library for the new readers. Bookshelves, tables, benches, and books in Lango & English are needed. Contributors attending the HAN Benefit, held in October 2017, raised over $2,000 toward the library project!
THE RUBBER CUTTERS
Rubber cutters are a group of people that recycle rubber goods into new items. In December of 2016, HAN demonstrated a reading class and provided a Teacher’s Training Workshop in Jan/Feb 2017. For many months, the group struggled to locate a facility with which to hold classes. As of October 2017, the rubber cutters have found a building to hold classes in and there are 9 students.
Literacy and Evangelism International (LEI)
LEI’s METHOD is TRIED and TRUE (How HAN developed their Literacy Program)
- HAN partnered with Literacy and Evangelism International (LEI).
- In June 2013, Carolyn Jones and Levi Abongo of Uganda attended an intensive 5 week training focusing on primer writing and training teachers.
- Keith found permanent housing for HAN in Lira where the primer construction team was hosted.
- In Jan 2014, the Primer Team, with Keith and Carolyn, constructed the 72 lessons in the Lango tribe’s language.
- In the LEI Method, new letters and words are introduced in each lesson.
- All lessons contain Bible scriptures.
- In lesson 12, Jesus is introduced to the learners.
- Health and agricultural lessons, math, letter writing, and Bible stories are included.
- In Feb 2014, Teacher Training Workshops began.
- In March 2014, the first classes began in villages. Primers were initially printed in Lira.
- In Aug 2014, HAN initiated printing primer books in our home for better quality and cost.
- In Feb 2015, classes began in prisons, teaching under tarps, with minimal materials.
- April 2016, English as a Second Language (ESL) launched. First class graduated June 2017.
- Dec 2016, Introduced literacy to lepers and disabled
- Jan 2017, Erute Prison Lira launched first literacy class.
- Coming up: HAN would like to develop a program to teach the beggars how to read.
Distributing Reading Glasses (2007-present)
Dollar store reading glasses are like gold for people who had no hope of ever
being able to read or sew once their sight fails.
Reading glasses (of various strengths) are purchased and shipped to Uganda. Student eyesight is tested and appropriate strength glasses are made available for the students so that they can see to read.
Medicinal Use of Charcoal (2012-present)
Villagers, literacy students, and prisoners are taught how to make and use charcoal for medicinal purposes.
Ordinary cooking charcoal, pounded into powder, sifted and mixed with cornmeal and water, applied twice daily, heals wounds. Long term wounds are common. Drinking some charcoal in water cures diarrhea, a killer of children under 5.
READING GROUPS:
Special reading sheets of scripture are being printed for graduates of the literacy program. These will be used for reading and discussion in small groups, starting with the New Testament Gospels and letters to the early churches printed in the common Lango language.
FARMING GOD’S WAY:
FGW is a model of agriculture which meets peasant farmers at their current level of understanding, while dealing well with the limitations facing them. It uses Biblical concepts, teaches management skills and agricultural techniques. It has a proven track record since 1984 in Zimbabwe. It will be implemented through churches and the HAN initiated small reading groups in the villages. The manuals have been translated from English into the Lango language, are currently being transcribed, then will be published for use. HAN has established demonstration plots, which have been worked for three years.
Past Projects
- 2001-2008: Spring Protection Projects – Clean water is critical for good health in Uganda. One major problem to hand drilling wells is the layer of laterite rock not far beneath the surface. HAN has spent the last 2 years developing drilling tools to penetrate this rock that can be constructed locally by village workers, using local materials. The last step is to install the pump and to purge the well of mud. The pumps are made from PVC pipe, and a marble. HAN has overseen the installation of 40+ clean water spring protections since 2002 – protecting sources of clean water.
- 2003-2012: Ayira Hospital Project – HAN has helped supply Dr. Opio with medical supplies & equipment, physical therapy training, and hundreds of baby quilts for newborns made by Chewelah quilters.
- 2007-present: Bala Community Garden and Nursery/School – Provided initial startup: seeds, land, and oxen (2007-2011). This program is now self-sustaining and provides education for children though 7th grade.
- 2009: Tailoring School in Lira – Helped start a tailoring school for widows, orphans, and single mothers so that they are able to provide for their families. This school has graduated more than 150 students and is now run as a ministry of Faith Mission Church, Lira.
