THEATRE OF HOPE [TOH]

The specific problem is lack of innovative inclusive literacy opportunities both at home and at school leading to  low reading culture and levels of all reading skills among early grade learners in areas of low income.

According to a 2019 study by Abt (https://www.abtassociates.com/...) 75% of children fail to read familiar words such as father or mother in local language , Chichewa after two years of formal education. This means the situation can be worse in English. This corroborates observations revealed in a national early grade reading end line study in 2012 which involved over 200 000 pupils. The intervention was meant to address a situation which showed that the performance in all reading skills was low and below ministry of Education bench marks (https://earlygradereadingbarom... ). Covid 19 induced school closures worsened the problem.

Our own classroom observations carried out between November 2021 and February  20 in our centre which is attracting over 500 children in lower primary between grades 1 and 4 indicate that the majority of children in grade 3 have challenges at a basic level of letter identification. Ongoing  assessment on levels of literacy is revealing different levels of literacy challenges among the  majority and some bordering on dyslexia.

The major contributory factor is inadequate access to quality  reading resources at both school and home compounded by run of the mill pedagogical strategies at foundational levels. Children miss school to avoid torture of routine yet they are supposed to get inspired by school attendance. Those with learning difficulties get left out completely. But can't they do drama based on verbal interpretations of stories they hear from peers? Can't they operate in a literary environment that will not threaten them with 'death' by examinations?

We want to create a sort of literacy circus where the roller coaster will inspire the children to a decent reading culture during their formative years. We want to pioneer a laugh and learn centre in the country.

The solution process in line with the prompts and priority  is as follows:

What is it?

1. Opening a community based inclusive literacy resource centre for lower primary school children between the ages of 6 to 12.

2. Offer free access to literacy resources and activities to children from low resource background.

3. Engage community /parents in literacy awareness.

4. Operate a mobile library to bring books to the doorsteps of children who stay far away from the centre.

What does it do?

It foregrounds the needs of the child through:

1. Harnessing the power of play to cultivate a child driven and community backed reading culture outside school examination box.

2. Increasing convenience of access to literacy resources through mobile library .

What processes and technology does it use?

The solution process is premised on simple and sustainable methods.

1. It adopts theatre for development concepts by empowering children to take charge of literacy acquisition process at their own level and pace without fear of examinations.

2. It uses community members as volunteer story tellers,dancers and singers to inspire and support children within their skills range and culture.

3. It employs special educational needs support in literacy to promote confidence among children.

The target population of children between the ages 6 and 12 attend a local public school called Masasa  Day primary school. The community is densely populated and from our centre records ,3 in every 5 children help their families through selling vegetables before or after their shift.  The school uses a double shift system for all classes because of inadequate human and physical resources. Our preliminary records, for example show that out of 85 children registered as in grade 3, 70% of them read below grade.

These children are under-served in the following ways:

1. Lack of access to literacy materials at school and at home.

2. Lack of literacy  SEN support in public schools and general support from parents.

3. Lack of pupil driven reading for pleasure strategies. School routine is chalk and talk dominated space and often punctuated by punishment and shaming of those labeled 'slow learner'

How will the solution address their needs?

1. Access to out of the box inclusive literacy support and resources founded on children's interest.

2. Access to customised child centred literacy activities.

3. Promotion of community participation to inspire children.  

We believe we have assembled an excellent team with the right cultural bond with the community . The librarian is from the community and a product of the target school . She has an informed grip on attitudes and socio-economic statuses of households. We had an orientation session with target school teachers during the last international literacy day ( September 8 2021) which we organised at the target school. Event pictures are available on Hopeview resource  centre facebook page.

This was followed up by an engagement meeting with local headsmen, block leaders and parents held at the target school . We pitched our objectives and got the approval. The community also asked us to look beyond helping the girl child only and make sure, we sustain the initiative permanently and free. The leaders also requested us to feed the children as most of them either stay away from school or dismiss earlier because they are hungry .

This interface will feed into our activities going forward as we now have a full appreciation of the needs. We are already appealing for community driven initiatives for members to sacrifice for their children. We will  then offer whatever support that will come our way . This has to be sustainable with full community participation.

We are already getting on board the request for equal attention for both boys and girls. Services are still free and will continue to be so. 

The resource centre needs as many literacy resources as possible pitched at appropriate levels of children in english and local Chichewa Language. This is our major priority. Connecting us to potential book donors for children will be appreciated. This may call for more book shelves and plastic chairs and tables. 

Effective operationalisation of mobile library needs a reliable and spacious mini van. Currently , we are using a personal family car which is less ideal.

Our solution is a pioneer initiative which is already implementing a unique home grown laugh and learn approach. Exploiting Play to promote a culture of reading is already changing the attitudes towards reading. We want kids to experience the journey as full of fun and joy. We also want the community to do their part at their level and own the project alongside their children.

Most importantly,the solution does not require expensive ICT equipment to implement. Technology is not the answer to every challenge in society. For example, current statistics by Malawi National statistics Office (2022) reveal that 86% of Malawians do not have access to internet. Add to that frequent power blackouts.  Many communities like this one can still use traditional but innovative methods to advance relevant literacy  skills. The hard copy text book is still a luxury here.    

In order of priority, We would like to raise the number of participating cohorts of lower primary school children in a day. Currently, as reflected in our attendance records, only two cohorts from the same grade are accommodated because of resource limitations. We need more and wide ranging literacy resources to accommodate more cohorts. The more numbers we capture, the greater the impact in terms of reach and access to literacy resources and interventions.

We have created a children's drama club composed of grade four kids and would like to extend that to all the other remaining lower classes. Each year, we intend to carry out two public awareness campaigns in order to increase community awareness.

Within the next five years, we target opening two more literacy resource centres in other high density areas within Mzuzu. This will be accompanied by introduction of functional skills starting with carpentry and sewing. A blue print within our strategic plan is already in place.

Our activities should have a knock on effect on various literacy skills acquisition at lower levels among the more than 500 targeted recipients.

The operationalisation of the centre with an average attendance of more than 300 kids per week across cohorts indicates greater access to literacy resources. This is free and a very significant entry signature into the grand scheme of innovative activities to come and in line with SDG 4. Our records show an increment every week especially among first graders. 

A drama club has been formed and is already functioning. These are measurable indicators towards our greater objectives.

Our approach is not grounded in traditional theories of learning inspired by external ideologies. It is guided by the need to solve local literacy challenges through the eyes of local children using simple but innovative inclusive approaches.

We are therefore coining our own theory of change: Laugh and learn theory. We believe this speaks to local needs and realities. It does not put learning in any box because with us,learning using the familiar makes a greater impact. Forget the lofty ICT based approaches for the elite who are in the minority.

Our main thrust is to use the ordinary textbook in an extra ordinary way. 

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Hopeview believes in women empowerment hence the appointment of a female deputy director a female librarian and a female teacher. 

We are a service based free literacy resource centre supported by founders and well wishers.

Sustained donations from corporate world and immediate community. Our main resource are children's books and that is what we need the most to reach out to as many children as possible.

Britamy insurance company (Malawi) donated an equivalent of $500 for purchase of books. National Bank of Malawi donated books worth $250. Mzuzu city assembly donated an unused structure in the community for use as our resource centre. We still have to make it more habitable. Two business people donated two book shelves and a sitting mat. We are still looking for more furniture to create a more conducive environment.