Reaching 1,500,000 Bariba people across West Africa with Bible-context literacy materials — empowering communities through the power of reading and writing.
Baatonu is the language spoken by the Bariba people of West Africa — a vibrant linguistic community spanning four nations.
The Bariba are 65% Muslim, 18% animist, and 16% Christian. Portions of the Bible in Baatonu have existed since 1953, and the entire Bible has been fully translated since 1996 — it is currently being revised.
However, the literacy rate among the Bariba varies from 1% to 30%, meaning the vast majority of speakers cannot yet access these resources.
Illiteracy — especially among women in remote rural areas — aggravates the precarious situation of these communities, making it harder to access healthcare, economic opportunity, and civic life.
Good hygiene and health practices would have more impact if only a tiny proportion of the population knew how to read and write. Literacy is a foundational health intervention.
The entire Bible has been translated into Baatonu since 1996, yet few can read it. Literacy unlocks spiritual resources and empowers communities to engage with their own sacred texts.
Literacy Benin proposes to develop Bible-context literacy materials and teacher-training workshops in the Baatonu language, enabling communities to become self-sustaining centers of learning and spiritual growth.
Begin development of a 90-lesson, 2-book primer series. A team of 3 workers over 21 days to create culturally relevant, contextual literacy materials.
Print 1,000 copies of each of the 2 books in the primer series, ready for distribution across communities in Benin and neighboring countries.
Run promotion campaigns and teacher-training workshops to equip local educators with the tools and confidence to teach literacy in the Baatonu language.
