
Gwen during a class session at St Anne Primary School
Gwen is a jovial young girl. She is 11 years old and is currently in grade one at St Anne Community School in Chanyanya Community (Miracle Corners’ Project target site for the Improved Literacy Project). Although Gwen is jovial, she has mood changes sometimes due to a developmental disablility that she was born with. This disability has caused a lag in how she has progressed through school and where she is now.
Gwen’s parents are both in the fish business. Her father is fisherman and her mother has a stand at the local market where she sells the fish. They have five children and Gwen is the second from the last.
Before joining the literacy and numeracy classes at MC-Z centre, Gwen’s parents had never enrolled her at any school and in 2020 January she began taking classes under the MCZ improved Literacy Project. Gwen lagged behind in her learning and it took her two years instead of one year in order for her to learn how to read and write!
By December 2021, Gwen was able to count, solve basic mathematical calculations, read a grade one text book and also write her own name! In January 2022, at the start of the school year, Gwen was enrolled at St’ Anne Community School and the Literacy project paid for her year’s school fees, purchased her a school uniform and books and bag.
Gwen is progressing well in school. Her teachers comment that although she has a series of breakdowns and mood shifts on some days, Gwen never misses a school day and she enjoys playing with her friends every day.
Gwen is a special child with special needs but through the literacy project, she has gotten the opportunity that every child deserves despite the challenges they face!
This story is in line with the Improved Literacy project goal that ensures to improve the levels of literacy in children in Chanyanya fishing community.