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

 

God speaks Lunyala language

Written by Joy Balusi

September 15, 2020

The Bible Society of Kenya launched the first portion for Banyala speakers who live in Kakamega County. This was the first ever Bible portion in their language as they look forward to the complete Bible.

The long-awaited launch of the Luke portion was held during a Pastor’s meeting in Kakamega County under strict adherence to the Government restrictions due to the COVID 19 pandemic. 

This portion of Luke underwent the normal and engaging Bible translation process which include drafting, team revision, reviewers check, translation consultant checking, manuscript examination, typesetting, proofreading, insertion of corrections (after proofreading), confirmation of final proofs, and production of Camera-Ready Copies that go to the printers for the start of printing.

The Banyala are a Bantu ethnic group whose origin is traced in Uganda. After migrating from Uganda, the Banyala settled in Kakamega and Busia Counties where they intermarried with the locals specifically the Banyoro and Baganda. Since culture does not exist in isolation, some aspects of the Banyala culture have been influenced by interaction with other Luhya subgroups, including borrowing and sharing some words and meanings. 

According to the 2009 National census, Navakholo, where the Banyala, resides had a population of 137,165 people while Busia had a population of 743,946, this figure comprises a mixture of Banyala and a few other Luhya dialects including Luo. The population has continued to increase over the years. The Banyala’s main economic activity is farming and like other Luhya sub-groups, they practice male circumcision as a cultural rite of passage.

The language of any community changes with time owing to external influences. If there exist no forms of preserving culture, it erodes and with time ceases to exist due to assimilation. The Lunyala Bible that is currently being translated will go a long way in preserving and maintaining the uniqueness of the Banyala speakers. 

This community will join the other existing Luhya communities who have complete Bibles including Lunyore, Lubukusu, Logooli, Lukakamega; Lutirichi/Lwitakho/ Lwisukha and Oluluyia Bible (for the Marama/ Shisa/ Tsotso/Wanga) and Lusamia.

When the word of God is received in the heart language, it speaks to the heart and thus it has more impact on individuals’ lives. This greatly helps in fulfilling the great commission in Matthew 28:19-20. We desire to see the Banyala community transformed as they continue to interact with the Bible.

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