Women’s Reading Clubs in Malawi

A project developed in partnership between Book Aid International and Malawi National Library Service

World Library and Information Congress, Durban 2007Robert Sarjant

Book Aid International

Book Aid International promotes literacy in developing countries by

creating reading and learning opportunities for disadvantaged people to help them realise their potential and eradicate poverty

Chiwamba Women’s Reading Club

UNESCO estimates that only 54% of women in Malawi are able to read and write

Malawi is one of the ten poorest countries on earth – an average income of $160 per person

Chiwamba Women’s Reading Club

Malawi suffers from one of the worst HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world – 14% of 15-49 yr olds affected

The Global Campaign for Education estimates that if every child worldwide received an education, 7million fewer people would contract HIV/AIDS in the next decade

Literacy for Life

Education for All goals can only be met through the development of literate societies, in which all literate individuals have the means and the opportunity to benefit from rich and dynamic literate environments

Policies to develop rich literate societies that ensure youth and adults become literate are important. Such policies can include support for libraries, book publishing, access of adults to school libraries and radio listening groups

Literacy for Life, Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2006, UNESCO

Why set up reading clubs for women?

To encourage newly literate women, particularly those disadvantaged by disability, HIV/AIDS or socio-economic factors, to develop their literacy skills by accessing Malawi National Library Service (MNLS) library centres and their services

Through the Clubs the women can

access information for education, health (especially HIV/AIDS), family welfare and vocational training that could significantly improve their and their families’ livelihoods

Mbabzi Women’s Reading Club

Project Objectives

Establish a network of reading clubs for newly literate disadvantaged women

Provide appropriate books in Chichewa and English - basic readers, health and family welfare, HIV/AIDS, agriculture and vocational training

Strengthen the skills needed by MNLS staff to develop and sustain pro-active and inclusive services

Establish a model that can be replicated throughout Malawi and with other BAI partner library services that face similar challenges targeting newly literate women

Lilongwe Women’s Reading Club

How does the project work?

Cash grants paid to MNLS by Book Aid International to enable the purchase of books in Chichewa and Tumbuka - essential in order to attract women to the reading clubs

Training is provided for MNLS staff and the Club Coordinators; and visits to the Clubs by MNLS staff

Donated books are provided from Book Aid International’s book stocks in London

The project is funded by the Headley Trust. Funding amounts to the equivalent of US $ 75,500 over the three years 2006 – 2008

Chiwamba Women’s Reading Club

What happens at the clubs?

An example from the Chiwamba Club:

The reading club meets for three hours,once a week. A typical session is attended by 20 women and includes:

screenings of videos about HIV/AIDS,

and about women in business dances literacy sessions book discussions and poetry recitals videos, newspapers, posters and

magazines enhance the experience of the books

Netball and other games

Joshua Orphan Care Reading Club Member

Benefits to the women

Women are reading/learning about small business management and income generating activities, as well as more traditionally, cooking and sewing

Others are reading to pick up their school education and have achieved exam successes

Women are learning more about HIV/AIDS not

only for reasons of prevention but also to know how to care for those with the virus

A number of women have gained a measure of independence from their husbands, and their expanding horizons have led to greater respect for them by their husbands

A growing sense of confidence and solidarity among the women and, in many cases, their reading has had an encouraging knock-on effect on their children

Further information

For further information on this project email info@bookaid.org