ProLiteracy’s South Africa Site Visit--Notes from the Field

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Notes from the Filed--January 31, 2012
Alesha Anderson
International Programs Coordinator

Today was a very exciting day out in the field! ProLiteracy’s President, David Harvey and I went to visit an organization that ProLiteracy has been partnering with for more than 40 years: Operation Upgrade (OpUp). OpUp is one of the largest and oldest NGO’s in South Africa focused on adult literacy. ProLiteracy began working with OpUp in the 1960s with active leadership from our co-founder, Dr. Frank Laubach, and we continue to support their literacy programs today.

We started off the day by meeting OpUp director, Pat Dean, and the many staff that help make OpUp’s work possible. As we arrived at the main office in Durban, six new literacy trainers were being trained by Beatrice, a dedicated staff member who has helped teach adult literacy with OpUp for more than 18 years. The new trainers were learning how to integrate HIV/AIDS education into basic adult literacy classes. OpUp focuses on mother tongue literacy classes so that learners learn to read in write in their own languages before learning English. OpUp combines ProLiteracy’s Literacy for Social Change approach with non-formal education literacy training so that participants feel the content is culturally applicable and relevant to what

they experience in their daily lives. Before any literacy class starts, learners always sing a song or do a theater presentation that represents what they are going to learn about. David and I had the honor of seeing this literacy training presented in Zulu.

After the singing and dancing, each trainer took a turn practicing as the teacher while the other participants became the students. It was a wonderful experience, seeing literacy in action! Next, David and I will accompany some of these newly trained teachers to a literacy class in one of the communities (townships) where they will be regularly working with adult learner over the next few years. Stay tuned for more stories and updates on our site visit!



Comments

  1. Nana 675February 10, 2012 at 12:57 AM

    Hi,
    Amazing work.You state that "OpUp combines ProLiteracy’s Literacy for Social Change approach with non-formal education literacy training so that participants feel the content is culturally applicable and relevant to what they experience in their daily lives".Please can you provide one or two examples through which OpUp achieves this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. EcuatoriGringaFebruary 16, 2012 at 2:47 PM

    Nana675 Operation Upgrade (OpUp) uses an approach to education called Literacy for Social Change. This methodology integrates AIDS/HIV education into basic literacy lessons so that learners are learning how to read and write in their native languages while also being educated on HIV/AIDS. As learners progress, Operation Upgrade provides other kinds of specialized training like how to start a small business, home healthcare and family literacy, and nutrition just to name a few. OpUp also works with learners to start community action projects like tunnel gardens so that participants can grow their own food to use at home and/or sell what they grow to earn an income and help support their families.

    Alesha Anderson, International Program Manager, ProLiteracy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nana 675February 28, 2012 at 9:26 PM

      Alesha,
      Thank you for your response and the valuable information.Awesome work! On average what is the success rate of your (OpUp) projects in South Africa?

      Delete
  3. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2012 at 4:01 PM

    OpUp appears to be a long-term success. Has the formula for their program been applied in other countries or locales that ProLiteracy supports?

    ReplyDelete
  4. EcuatoriGringaFebruary 22, 2012 at 9:41 AM

    GTAK: Yes, Operation Upgrade has worked with other Ministries of Education to adapt/localize materials for adult learners in their mother tongue. They are also working on developing a Southern African Literacy Network where practitioners and educators from all over the Southern African region can come together to discuss best practices, exchange materials, and work with other local and regional NGOs to target the adult literacy issue together.


    Alesha Anderson, International Program Manager, ProLiteracy

    ReplyDelete

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