In April last year I met with a group of Fulani people who had just completed their literacy course. The group consisted of well over twenty men and just one woman!

I asked for an explanation. The answer was that the participants had chosen to have their course in a central location, so that people from many villages in the area, sometimes at a distance of 16 km, could take part. The consequence was that only men who had a motorcycle or a bike (and who were less busy taking on the daily chores at home …) were able to take the course. The women stayed at home.

My reply was that if they wanted further support from me, i.e. paying the “salary” of their teacher, they had to find a way to give women and young girls access to the courses.

They told me that in that case, it would be necessary to open three training centres instead of one. I said that I was prepared to invest in three, provided the women were interested. I also reminded them of the conditions for my support and told them I would be back when they were ready.

So it was that on December 30th I went to the three Fulani communities, Lolo, Zounou and Pala. Each of them had set up a shelter, where the course would take place. It was clear that the women were very keen on enlisting. At every one of the centres, they were by far more numerous than the men. The joy of having an opportunity to learn was written on their faces.

January the 4th was the opening date of the centres, where over 50 Fulani women and young girls have already registered. The men were around too. One of them told me how happy he felt to be able, upon completing the literacy course in April last year, to send a text message in fulfulde on his cell phone (see picture). He even made a demonstration for us on the spot!

Today I am increasingly convinced that the integration of the Fulani will come about through fulfulde literacy courses for both men and women of the Fulani community. But the Government should double its efforts to help them along in their wish to learn to read and write. This wish was perhaps not there some years ago, but seems to have been taking on momentum every year recently. There is now an urgent need use this new opportunity. The Fulani pastoralists and herders can no longer be left out, in particular since furthering literacy is a must in the prevention of clashes between the farming and livestock raising communities.

Koudougou, 6th January 2010
Maurice Oudet
Director, SEDELAN