Impact

Last week a consultant from the Netherlands visited us to help the team of the Dagbani Literacy Programme formalise the system of monitoring and evaluation and also review our latest Strategic Plan a little. The meeting sessions were good but long. Because we work with many different donors, they have specific requirements on how we evaluate, report and eventually measure the impact of our work. Of course for ourselves too it is very important to know whether we are achieving our aims and objectives. At the same time it is difficult because not everything is measurable. For example, how can you measure the true impact that reading and writing skills have on the life of an individual. It is probably immeasurable.

'literacy programme planning meeting'

One of our learners once said after receiving a certificate: “What I have learned, no one can buy in the market. Even if somebody would take my certificate, what I have learned will still be mine.” The self-respect and confidence somebody gains through being able to read and write is indescribable. Not to have to thumbprint in signing a document but writing your own name gives a sense of pride and self-worth.

'a literacy class in operation'

Also, it is often the members of a literacy class who advocate for the needs of others in a community. Mbanaayili is a village about 14 kilometres from Tamale. For a few years now the Ghanaian Government has introduced a ‘National Health Insurance Scheme’ (NHIS). The Scheme is especially meant for the poorer people in the rural areas. But the inhabitants of this village like many others did not take part in the scheme because they did not understand its operation. One evening, during one of the literacy class sessions in this village, the learners started to discuss the Scheme. At the end of the discussion they decided to call the community for a meeting and invite a representative from the NHIS to give them more information about the Scheme. After this meeting, many people got interested in registering for the Health Insurance. However, there was another problem. For the women and elderly in the village the distance to the nearest office of the NHIS was too far. The village therefore suggested that the representative leave a number of registration forms with the learners of the literacy class so that they could help to register those who would not be able to go to the office. The representative agreed and those who were appointed to do the registration were even paid a little for it! Today, out of 200 households in the village, 160 have registered. In this village literacy has played a major contribution to the access to health care. This is just one of the numerous benefits literacy has and the impact it can have on the lives of people.

'women discussing problems in the village'