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« Today we have had some good news » For some years now, within the work of SEDELAN, I have come to take an interest in literacy courses for the previously nomadic herding population of Fulani, so that they may learn to read and write their spoken tongue, the Fulfulde. This has given me a chance to have some interesting experiences.
Last year the Head of the Fulani compound in Débé, Sourou organised a little celebration at the end of the literacy course. He had invited the Governor of Di, some foremen from the rice fields, the Director and teachers of a nearby girls’ school (The 1000 Girls of Débé) and a few friends among the rice growers … This year the Head of another Fulani compound in Moaaga-Petit did the same. Such events are a powerful tool to help the Fulani find their place in the community at large in Burkina Faso. Once invited to take part in a celebration of the kind, one is no longer tempted to refer to the Fulani as “foreigners” ! (See abcBurkina N° 282 ). This year, in two different villages, I have seen Mossi adults take part in Fulfulde literacy classes with their Fulani neighbours. Although in the past the Fulani remained withdrawn in their own ethnic group, things have apparently changed. They are very keen to join literacy classes and training courses. This year for example, we have helped set up a literacy course for Fulani in Louta (north of Toeni in the Sourou district). To our surprise no less than four other communities in the vicinity turned up to tell us that they too wanted to learn to read, write and calculates in their mother tongue. Another discovery. In previous years, when a Fulani community asked me to find a teacher of Fulfulde I turned to the the County Director of Education and Literacy, but was told that he had not a single teacher for Fulfulde. Which seemed not to bother in the least this head of the entire literacy operation in his county. Today I ask the Fulani who call on me if there is not someone in their area who has been to secondary school, at least up to the second year. To my surprise almost everywhere I manage to find the pearl I thought so rare. It is usually sufficient to offer such persons a three week training course in written Fulfulde to prepare them for teaching their fellow students. Thus in November-December last year we were able to train a good 20 new teachers in two training sessions, (one in Nouna and another in Pa). The sessions completed, we have been able to lend support to 19 literacy centres, with excellent results. Today I can bear witness that the literacy courses have been instrumental in helping the Fulani to find their place in the community in Burkina Faso and to be recognised as genuine and full Burkinabè citizens. This means that if we wish to prevent civil war between herders (mainly Fulani) and farmers, action to ensure courses in Fulfulde for large numbers of adult Fulani is urgent and must be undertaken without delay – as a first step towards to reaching the youngest. One final note In March last year, as I returned from the Burkina Social Forum, my car broke down in Yako. I stopped by at a friends’ place and shared with him what I have just described above. He told me that he as well had Fulani friends a few kms from Yako. We decided to go and see them and ask them if they would be interested in opening a Fulfulde literacy centre in their area. They answered that this had been their wish for years, but they had not known to whom they could put their request. After some more discussion, to make sure they were serious about their demand, we told them that we would return to them later on and that we would try our very best to help them open their centre next year. As we left they said: “Today we have had some good news !" In conclusion « If you are in Burkina Faso and if you have friends among the Fulani, do not be afraid of asking them if they too wish to learn to read, write and count in Fulfulde and let us know. We will help, as much as we possibly can, to find a solution. Coupru, June 1st 2008 Maurice Oudet Director, SEDELAN |
