READING IS POWER

ILIVE in a small rural community called Salt Lake in the Northern Cape. Over the past nine months I’ve had the privilege of teaching three adult women to read for the first time in their lives. They’re all over 50 and never had the opportunity to attend school, but this hasn’t deterred them from doing something they’ve always dreamt of doing.

Thanks to a wonderful adult literacy programme called Literati, which makes learning to read fun and relevant for adults, our twice-weekly two-hour lessons are filled with lots of laughter, fun and achievement. I’m so encouraged by their unwavering commitment to attending lessons. One lady even walks 6km to attend!

At the start of our lessons we often made use of YOU to recognise and practise the sounds of the different alphabets. From not being able to sound a single letter, they’re now reading their first sentences! LINDA DUGMORE, EMAIL