Our Programs

Literacy for Women in Africa

BSK has an adult literacy program dubbed literacy for women in Africa. This program mainly targets a group of women of child-bearing age (15 years and above) who have not had the opportunity to learn to read and write.

BSK has an adult literacy program dubbed literacy for women in Africa. This program mainly targets a group of women of child-bearing age (15 years and above) who have not had the opportunity to learn to read and write.
Other persons targeted by the programme include men, young girls, and elderly women. This could also include women who have already had the opportunity to learn to read ‘second chance.’

Turkana County has low literacy levels of 20% considering that it has a population of 926,976 speakers of the language. Non-literates account for 741,580.

The Literacy for Women in Africa programme is currently being implemented in the County with 20 active adult literacy classes spread across Loima, Turkana Central, Turkana North, and Turkana South sub-counties. The program has grown tremendously since 2018 when it began with 10 pilot classes. So far, 1920 learners have been trained with 65% of them being women.

The reason why the program majorly focuses on women is that in the marginalized communities women or girls are denied a chance to go to school, as priority is given to men. Women are seen as people who carry out house chores, bear children, go through practices e.g. female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriages thus denying them a chance to access education or any form of schooling.

The uniqueness of this program is that it is a non-formal mother tongue-based education meant to impact adult learners with basic reading and writing skills. The main goal of the program is to enable the marginalized communities to read the Word of God in their heart language and be transformed by it.

BSK partners with the Church to implement this programme. The Churches provide venues that are used as classes, they identify passionate people who are trained as teachers, and they assist in monitoring. The Directorate of Adult and Continuing Education office has also come in handy in helping learners to transition to formal schooling to learn other subjects.

other Programs & projects

Open the Book & Programme For Pastoral Instruction PPI

Braille Bible Distribution to the VIP’s Programme

Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH)

Mwimbi Bible Translation

Young Samaritans Programme

Literacy for Women in Africa

Bibles Eagles Club

African Biblical Leadership Initiative (abli)

Marginalized Children

 

Gikuyu Study Bible Project

Banyala Bible Translation Project

Teso Bible translation project

 

Finding Hope after Trauma

Written by BSK

October 13, 2023

In the beautiful county of Elgeyo Marakwet, a community has been for a long time living in fear and uncertainty due to rampant banditry in the area.

The people longed for a ray of hope to pierce through the darkness that had engulfed their lives. With a shared vision of bringing the transformative power of God’s word to those in need, the Bible Society of Kenya in partnership with Parklands Baptist Church embarked on a mission to visit the community in Elgeyo Marakwet in October 2023. The mission went beyond just providing the Gospel of John to learners and the community; it was about bringing hope, healing, and restoration to a community in desperate need.

As the team arrived in Elgeyo Marakwet, they were greeted with both curiosity and anticipation. The air was heavy with the weight of past traumas, but there was also a glimmer of hope in the eyes of the people, as they eagerly awaited the programs that were about to unfold. The first phase of the visit focused on trauma-healing sessions with widows. In Tot, Chesongoch and Tiaty, where many had been widowed at a young age and were left to care for their children alone, these sessions were a lifeline. The Bible Society of Kenya’s trauma healers created a safe space for the widows to share their pain, grief, and struggles. Through the power of God’s word, they found solace, comfort, and the assurance that they were not alone in their journey.

During the trauma healing sessions, the widows were also given audio Bibles that they would listen to in groups, a precious gift that would allow them to listen to God’s word and be transformed by its message of hope and love. The 45 audio Bibles distributed to the widows and herders became a source of inspiration, encouragement, and strength.

The impact of the trauma healing sessions and the distribution of the Gospel of John became evident. Testimonies of healing and restoration started pouring in from all corners of the community. Hearts that were once burdened with fear and despair now overflowed with hope and faith.

The visit and programs had not only delivered the message of God’s love but had also ignited a spark of transformation within the community, especially to the 338 widows that we reached with the trauma healing sessions. People began to look at their circumstances through a different lens, finding strength and courage to face each day with renewed hope.

The partnership between the Bible Society of Kenya and Parklands Baptist Church had brought light to a community that had been shrouded in darkness for far too long. We also believe that the Gospel of John will be a beacon of hope, guiding the people of Elgeyo Marakwet and Tiaty towards a future filled with promise and possibility.

As the team bid farewell to the community, they left behind a legacy of love, compassion, and a renewed sense of faith. The visit has sown seeds of hope that would continue to grow and bear fruit for years to come.

And so, the people of Elgeyo Marakwet embarked on a new chapter in their lives, holding onto the transformative power of God’s word, and embracing a future filled with hope, healing, and the promise of a brighter tomorrow.

You May Also Like…

God’s Unfailing Love

God’s Unfailing Love

"We love because he first loved us." - 1 John 4:19 This simple yet profound verse sums up God's relationship with...

Nurturing a Bible Reading Culture

Nurturing a Bible Reading Culture

In a world of uncertainty and chaos, the Bible stands as a beacon of light and guidance. Its timeless truths offer...

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *