Read all about it!

Literacy classes funded by our supporters are having a profound everyday impact on the lives of more and more people in Niger, who can now finally read the word of God whenever they want to.

Yamdieba found life difficult as a trader in rural Niger, a landlocked nation in West Africa. He was illiterate, so it was hard to remember all the payment details and deadlines, or even all the names of people he owed money to. As a result, he had problems with customers. 

All that changed when Yamdieba attended a literacy class funded by Bible Society supporters. He now keeps a written record of those he trades with.

‘Now I give thanks to God because the confusion is lifted!’ he said.

The literary classes have also given Yamdieba a big spiritual boost. In church he jots down verses so he can re-read them at home.

And if that wasn’t enough, the classes have also taught him to care more for the environment too, so he now plants a tree for each one he cuts down.

‘May God be praised and thank you to everyone who has opened this window of knowledge,’ said Yamdieba.

More than 400 people have attended our literacy classes in the last 12 months in Niger, one of the world’s poorest nations. They study for six months in classes of 25 students, and receive workbooks and a Bible.

These classes make a massive difference in a country like Niger where only three out of every ten people can read and write – and in rural areas it can be just one in ten!

Illiteracy affects just about everything. Lifting yourself out of poverty is difficult when you can’t keep proper records of your trading. Health and hygiene will also be hit if you can’t read advice or even the dates of your doctor appointments. And for Christians, of course, illiteracy means missing out on the joy and wisdom of God’s word.

Thanks to gifts from our supporters, literacy projects in Niger are changing lives. Please pray that Bible-based literacy will continue to transform communities in Niger. You can visit our Africa prayer tree here for prayer guidance or to post a prayer yourself.

Support Bible and literacy work in Africa