September 15, 2002

The world literacy day was observed with great zeal and fervour on September 8 by the Women’s Literacy and Empowerment Centres (WLEC) in the various goths of Malir. The occasion brought into focus the importance of books for literacy. The Sindh Education Foundation set up these centres in April 2001 and hopes to empower women through education and awareness. The SEF has produced, in collaboration with UNESCO, attractive literature to impart literacy. At the various skits and discussions held in Malir last Sunday it was evident that the books have contributed greatly towards creating interest and awareness in the women living there.

According to Tabassum Saghir (WLEP project director), this course was specifically designed keeping in view the needs of these women. The series called Pribhat (meaning dawn) aims at enlightening the lives of these women who have been repressed and denied their basic rights for long.

The series consists of a basic Sindhi qaida and workbook, through which learners acquaint themselves with the alphabets and the phonetics of the language and a mathematics primer. The qaida contains stories and poems set in the socio-cultural milieu of the goths which not only helps the learners relate to what they read but also creates awareness and self-esteem.

An example of this is the poem ‘Aurat’, in which a woman is praised for her truthfulness, perseverance and faithfulness. These are qualities that have been cherished for ages in women of all societies. But moving away from the conventional, the book has the lesson ‘Aurat ki azmat’ (The greatness of a woman) which gives an account of the role of women in the development of society, their homes and their work places.

One may well ask if the mere talk of women’s feats and achievements is enough to empower their under-privileged compatriots. Isn’t more needed? According to Sadaf (WLEP programme associate) in order to do so one has to create awareness, and that can only be achieved by acquainting these women with their surroundings and environment. Making them conscious of their rights and opportunities would also go a long way in creating awareness.

The various issues featured in the book do just that and cover a wide range of topics from human rights and civic sense to health and politics. History and economics have also been dealt with to some extent. Thus the chapter ‘Sindh’ tells the learner about Moenjodaro, the historical landmark of the Indus valley civilization, and the great sufi poets of the province. The other three provinces of Pakistan have also been described. The chapter ‘Sehat ain safai’(health and cleanliness) makes the readers aware of the benefits of a clean surrounding, while another on identity cards explains the process of acquiring the NIC and the importance of owning one.

The idea is to stimulate discussion and thinking on important issues. In this the key role is that of the WLEP teachers, who not only further explain the text, but also encourage discussion and debate.

The maths primer focuses on the basics of numeracy that is designed to teach women learners simple calculations and the concept of measurements and money which would help them in their daily chores.

Besides this a booklet to create HIV and AIDS awareness has also been produced. This booklet is called Wafa, and tells the tale of a husband and wife in a rural setting, emphasizing the importance of fidelity. Later in the story various other modes of HIV transmision have also been listed. It SEF and UNESCO must be commended for their effort to make the rural population aware of AIDS and the importance of protective measures.

Illustrations have been used extensively to help the learners relate to the subject they read about. The pictures attempt to shed the traditional image of women, though in places they unintentionally promote the conventional perspective. Perhaps the publishers believed a discreet, rather than a radical, approach would be more helpful.

The women attending the literacy classes and using these books feel they have achieved a great deal by acquiring literacy. The course basically targets women in the rural setting of Sindh, and thereby helps women to communicate effectively within their own communities.

However, Karim Bakhsh, a male community member in Shafi Mohammad (New) Goth — a predominantly Baloch village — feels that the course would have benefited his community more had it been in Urdu. Many learners from the Baloch community kept away from the programme due to language barriers.

Bakhsh says, “Many women joined the WLEC when the programme was launched as the curriculum was in Urdu. But the medium of instruction shifted to Sindhi and these women dropped out, as they were not familiar with Sindhi.”

“But the government’s medium of instruction for Malir town is Sindhi,” retorts Asghar Soomro (WLEP programme associate). Thus all further discussion is closed. But if the programme is to have a wider reach, the SEF should be mindful of such language considerations. This in no way suggests that the efforts made by the Foundation are not praiseworthy. They remain, undoubtedly, the only beacon of light in rural Sindh where female literacy is a measly 13 per cent.

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