KonoLiteracy and Scripture Engagement
Fund classes and workshops that provide literacy education, enabling Kono speakers to engage with God’s Word
Scripture Engagement
Country
- Sierra Leone
Region
- West Africa
Language Population
354,000
Literacy Leads to Prayer
The Jembwe family had difficulty observing the required prayers of a foreign religion, because they didn’t understand the meaning of the words. When they enrolled in a Kono literacy class, the Lord’s Prayer in Kono made them realize they could pray to God in their own language. The Jembwes, now fluent in Kono, became members of the local Lutheran church. “We hope to be members until we join other believers in the life hereafter.”
The launch of the Kono New Testament in 2008 allowed churches to use Scripture in Kono for the first time. The locally-run Kono program promotes God’s Word through literacy, translation, and training. Literacy graduates encourage others to join the program, which has led to steady expansion.
Empower Local Leaders
Your financial gifts and prayers enable us to equip leaders in Sierra Leone to facilitate literacy education, increase availability of audio Scripture, and further open the Word of God to the Kono-speaking community of West Africa.
“To a Kono, everything has a spiritual cause. Their lives have been controlled by fear. Parents put charms around their young children’s waists for protection from evil. Sacrifices are offered in the fields to protect crops. Amulets are hung in doorways to prevent witches from entering. Yet all these things fail. Fear remains. Now is the time for freedom! Now, for the first time, Kono men, women and children can hold in their hands the Word of God—the Kono New Testament. God now speaks their language. Jesus has set the Konos free from the power of the devil, and they can experience freedom from fear.” – The Bible Society of Sierra Leone.
Program Goals
- Host ongoing literacy classes, a refresher workshop for continuing classes with 24 participants, a pre-primer workshop with 20 participants for 10 new classes.
- Print literacy materials for new and continuing classes: 300 Pre-Primers for new classes and 150 test copies of translated children materials.
- Conduct Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) workshop to train 20 FCBH group leaders to start 10 listening centers.
Kono Literacy and Scripture Engagement Program Plan
Step 1
Recruit and equip facilitators and students for literacy classes.
Step 2
Print Pre-Primer and Primer materials for class participants.
Step 3
Empower Kono speakers to engage with both printed and audio Scripture.
Meet the Local Team
meet the team
• Literacy coordinator
• Volunteer literacy teachers
• Literacy committee members
• Church denominations (provide volunteer workers and donate toward training workshops)
• Local language speakers (provide lodgings for workshop participants, etc.)
.
Partner Organizations
Honoring the Language
Over 14 dialects of Northern Kono and Central Kono
Program Progress
Several Kono literacy classes have completed the Primer 2 books and are starting the Kono grammar book.
There is a Kono-speaking community that has an established literacy class. This center graduated its first round of learners, and is now recruiting new learners to start the Primer 1. This group mainly consists of church members who want to read the Bible for themselves.
