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Blog Post Posted November 28, 2009, 7:23 am by Jameson Gadzirai

Sharing what little we have

Country: Sudan
Topics: Education, Peaceful Change

Peer-to-peer knowledge sharing has reaped notable results in adult learning in Sudan. The desire to rebuild lives and return to a once-lost sense of community has driven community members to further their education and play an important role in the reconstruction of the country.

“I have all my educational certificates,” said one of my colleagues. “All I need now is for someone to teach me how to turn on a computer and look for jobs on the Internet.” His eyes beam hope.

“I have heard that a lot of organisations are posting jobs on the Internet. I heard too, that it is cheaper for me to apply through the Internet that to print out my application and send it.”

This is true. Printouts cost anything between 2 to 3 Sudanese pounds (about £0 to £1) and photocopying costs half as much — if one is lucky to have access to these services.

My colleague snugs close to peers who are computer literate, taking the occasion to learn some basic computer skills over his lunch break. He looks forward to more elaborate training, one day.

As you move into more rural communities, requests for peer to peer support are much more basic. “I need someone to teach me English and mathematics. I know Mercy Corps officers speak good English…I need to learn how to write.”

Mercy Corps staffers, as well as those from many of our colleague agencies, become peer educators as night falls. You will find them congregating in small groups at the local drinking place, amid noisy revelers and noisier drones of motor cycles and vehicles criss-crossing the market.

On a typical evening, one person takes out a dog-eared English grammar text and leafs through it with commendable dexterity. On occasion, his peers repeat words after him and take turns to write down sentences on the one piece of paper that they all share. Most of the colleagues engaged in this impromptu learning session do not have an opportunity to attend adult literacy class during the day.

There is a limit, however to what the group can achieve. One day, they will reach the last page of their English grammar book, then what will they do?

Material support for informal learning structures is a viable option if community centers are equipped with enough resources for individuals and groups to borrow texts and make effective use of them within their environment.

Support for formal adult literacy groups has been growing steadily in the past months. As team members go about their work, there is a need to encourage them to provide support that goes beyond their normal duties as staffers. The community celebrates the role they play in their development and, with this in mind, are more likely to learn from their experiences.