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Caravan for Literacy and the prevention of
HIV/AIDS in Mali, Guinea and Senegal

27th August - 11th September 2007

Coinciding with UNESCO's celebration of International Literacy Day and the African Regional Conference in Support of Global Literacy in Bamako, Pamoja West Africa and Jeunesse & Développement's Capacity Building Unit, in partnership with with DVV International, Action Aid International and the National Pamojas of Guinea, Mali and Senegal, organised a caravan to increase awareness and share information concerning the importance of Literacy and the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the communities along its route. It aimed to:
  • Mobilise communities, particularly local decision makers, around the African Regional Literacy Conference to strengthen their stand in favour of literacy and the prevention of HIV/AIDS and encourage local action;
  • Provide information and discuss literacy and HIV/AIDS with communities along the route;
  • Collect the pleas and opinions of these communities with a vue to positively influencing the decisions of the Conference concerning literacy;
  • Create a regional framework for consultationation around the related issues of Literacy - HIV/AIDS - Development to reinforce national plans in each sector.
The caravan departed on Monday 27th August from in front of the J&D offices in Bamako, seen off by the representative of DVV International. It took 16 days to cover a total of 3,467 km of which 1,063 km were in Guinea (Siguiri - Kankan - Kouroussa - Daola - Mamou - Dalaba - Pita - Labé - Koundara - Linkéré), 1,519 km in Senegal (Linkéré - Madina Gounas - Carrefour Manda - Wélingara - Kolda - Carrefour Sitaba - Bounkéré - then 50 km on Gambian territory to make the ferry crossing at Farafini - Keur Ayib - Kaolack - Diossong - Tambacounda - Kédougou-Kidira), 700km in Mali (Diboli - Kayes - Bamako). All along the way communities and participants took part in events such as visits to local Reflect circles, tree planting ceremonies, meetings with local authorities and dignitories and conferences and discussions on HIV/AIDS and literacy.

The caravaners were joined by Malian NGOs in Bamako for a grand march to deliver the Bamako Declaration, which brought the demands and pleas of the communites along the route to national, regional and international decision makers attending the African Regional Literacy Conference.

people marching with banners

"3% for Literacy!!"

The main demand to African governments - to allocate a minimum of 3% of the national education budget to literacy programmes.

Documents to download:

 

 

 

 

The March to the African Regiona Conference
to support Global Literacy

Bamako, 10 - 12 September 2007

The Conference was embedded in a series of six Regional Conferences supporting global literacy organized within the framework of Education For All (EFA) and, in particular, the United Nations Literacy Decade and UNESCO's Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE).The conferences are part of a drive to promote literacy at national, regional and international levels as a major EFA goal and foundation for lifelong learning. The objective is to trigger sustained global and country level leadership for the promotion of literacy by renewing support to and investment in literacy for all and integrating literacy programmes into a sector-wide education strategy. 		Mariam with her son tied to her back

Mariam Kolon Diallo and her son Thierno Bachir Diallo

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Mariam presenting the Bamako Declaration

Presenting the Bamako Declaration on the first day of the Conference

Mariam and her son

34 years old and the mother of 3 children, Maria is the facilitaor of the Reflect circle in Salambaldé (Guinea Conakry). She herself learned to read and write at the age of 24. Maria and her son, who is only 12 months old, covered 3,467 km with the caravan to participate in the march, where she delivered the Bamako Declaration to Conference officials.