Enhancing Literacy through Reading Camps

Esther, eight years old, is in primary three. She enjoyed going to the reading camp before the Covid-19 onset. She loves learning how to read, singing and meeting new friends. Her mother is illiterate, so she was never able to support her to learn how to read. She had no one to help her revise or do homework when she returned home from school. Her big sister was hardly at home to support her with homework.

She would only read while at school since she had no one to help her at home. Her sister would help her occasionally when she is at home. She was sad about not having someone to support her with homework since her mother could neither read nor write, and her big sister was hardly at home.

Later, Esther started attending reading camp sessions after school. She gradually learned how to read on her own, “At the reading camp, I was taught how to read on my own. Now I know how to read and can even do homework by myself without support from anyone,” she said.

According to Esther’s big sister, Prossy; “Esther has improved her reading skills since she started going to the reading camps. When she started going to reading camps, she improved her grades and gained a lot of confidence.”

 Kellen, another eight year old in Esther’s neighborhood also attends the reading camp. During the COVID-19 crisis where schools are closed, Kellen and other children are provided with reading materials at the comfort of their homes, since they can’t gather for reading camp sessions. During this period, parents have materials that where provided by the reading facilitators. Parents use to teach children at home. According to Kellen’s mother, schools where closed abruptly and some of the children had left their books at school; with the reading camps in the community, they were able to get materials for reading at home.

The eight year old admits that she misses school but she is glad that she can still read while at home.

“I miss learning at school and at camp. However, I am happy that I have books from the reading camp which my little sister read, while at home every day,” Kellen mentioned.

Jackline, Kellen’s mother, said that it gives her great joy when she sees her daughter flawlessly reading.

“I am so proud when I see my daughter read and teach her little sister how to read. The reading camps have helped not only my daughter but also so many other children in this community, learn how to read. They have also improved their grades in school,” Jackline stated.

She applauded World Vision’s initiative, adding that it has improved literacy greatly. She added that World Vision not only provided a safe space and materials for children’s literacy boost but also provided capacity building for parents. 

“World Vision also trained us the parents. This training equipped us with skills and knowledge on how to offer guidance to our children to help them improve their literacy skills. I used not to care to follow up on my children’s performance, but through what I learned from the workshops, I now visit my child at school and follow up on their performance,” she added.