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By Robai Naliaka, Program Manager – Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Zizi Afrique Foundation
On the 3rd of January 2023, I joined Zizi Afrique Foundation to serve in the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Unit. One of my focus areas in the unit was to facilitate the piloting of a citizen-led education project dubbed “My Village Project”. In my curiosity to understand this project better, I begun field visits to the project sites in Bungoma, Kitui, and Kilifi counties to learn and immerse myself in the project.
While in Bungoma, I marveled at the fact that a 67-year-old Mzee Jephneah Maina, our host, (commonly referred to as Director) has been volunteering since 1986. He was accompanied by a very focused Madam Catherine and together they have been Community Health Volunteers for a while and served in the leadership of Milimo Community Based Health Care. Mzee Jephneah was very passionate about mentoring the youth and nurturing the community service culture among the youth, one of the reasons why his organization has partnered with Zizi Afrique Foundation to promote the improvement of literacy and numeracy competencies while nurturing the life skills of children and adolescents in the villages in Bungoma county.
In Kilifi and Kitui counties, the Zizi Afrique Foundation has partnered with the Kilifi Youth Empowerment Group and Kyeni Kya Waasya Women Group respectively. The partners in Kilifi and Kitui give a good mix of youth-led and women-led organizations. They are daring to impact their communities by unlocking youth potential for active participation in their communities and improving the lives of their communities.
Led by Ms. Virginia Ngindiru, Zizi Afrique’s Programs Director, we paid a courtesy call to the Sub County leadership. We first met the Sub County Director of Education.
“ I am encouraged to know that we can work together to improve the education standards here … And I support the partnership and participation of youth in the project… I will come and share my experiences with them. From my own experience of community service, giving back to the community, and supporting 71 vulnerable children and youth to acquire education, I know this is a great platform to change the lives of our children… we will support you. I encourage you to join our other partners and stakeholders’ sessions so that we learn from each other and coordinate our efforts… there’s a village known as Mayiekwe challenged with high school dropouts and teenage pregnancies… we need help and support to tackle these issues… also promote life skills and values…”
Madame Tina – the Bungoma West Sub County Director.
We were then ushered into the Deputy County Commissioner’s office by one of the Assistant County Commissioners who is volunteering as a teacher in one of the high schools in the neighborhood. We met a bubbly and friendly Japheth Katana, the DCC of the Sub County. As we introduced ourselves, he affirmed his knowledge of each of the team members which I found to be unique because it is rare for a government officer to acknowledge everyone’s efforts and contribution to nation-building. This one was special indeed. He was very excited about collaborative approaches and appreciated the partnerships that ensure communities have a voice and participate in their development.
Inspired by the passionate briefing by Ms. Virginia Ngindiru about the My Village project, the DCC asked if we could extend the interventions to one other village where he is researching on community participation. When we left his office, he promised to personally come and officially open the training of the youth dubbed ‘My Village Champions’, and true to his words, he joined us in the training at the Sirisia Township Primary school on the 13th of January 2023. His key message to the youthful volunteers was that something good could come out of them, out of their villages and their lives. He challenged them to go back to the African culture of giving back and community service, recommending that it would only happen if everyone chose to be MAD. I know, just like you, I wondered what he meant by being mad. “Just choose and be deliberate in ‘Making A Difference’ in your village. Determine to Make A positive Difference!”, said Japheth Katana – DCC Bungoma West Sub County.
But who are these youths that we proudly speak about? The implementation of My Village Project is being done by My Village Champions. These champions are motivated youth who are willing to be leaders and role models in their villages. They are committed to utilizing their skills, time, and energy to facilitate literacy improvements and life skills acquisition for children and adolescents in their villages for one year. Very well known to families, neighborhoods, and leadership, these youth conduct literacy assessments, hold community conversations and facilitate the learning camps and life skills sessions within the communities. During this period of service and giving back to the community, they gain new experiences, knowledge, and skills to carry out My Village interventions. They also learn from each other, and other platforms provided by Zizi Afrique Foundation and partners.
My Village project is supported by PAL Network where Zizi Afrique Foundation is a member. The project targets 300 villages in Kenya, Tanzania, and Nepal. In Kenya, 24,000 children and adolescents from 100 villages will be reached and their competencies in basic reading and math improved and their life skills nurtured in 2023.
A key lesson from the various stakeholders we have engaged in the commissioning of My Village Project is that the success of any intervention requires collaboration. A child’s education is not only dependent on teachers and the school community but also largely dependent on the collective efforts of the family, neighbors, communities, institutions, progressive policies, and diverse resources outside the classroom walls. We can pool together our resources, skills, experiences, materials, and positions and build collaborations to promote foundational literacy and numeracy for the children who are furthest behind! We can tap into the youth energies and time to lead education and other transformative initiatives in our communities. It is possible to do education outside the classroom walls, a lesson that COVID-19 taught us very well. As we reimagine education to improve learning outcomes, let’s break these non-existent school/classroom walls and dare to go where the child is… through innovative approaches such as My Village!
My one-month engagement and learning with the diverse stakeholders of the My Village project in Bungoma, Kilifi, and Kitui counties reaffirmed to me the importance of the village in education. Proof enough that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. Together we can change the narratives of the children in our villages and change the stories of our villages!
