Back to school at 57

By Bertha Banda:

At 57, Anesi Kausiwa knew returning to school would not be easy.

The adult literacy centre was about one-and-a-half hours from her home in Dzaole, Senior Chief Kwataine, Ntcheu. She had to walk a long distance and cross two rivers to attend classes.

Whenever she felt tired or discouraged, her husband, 70-year-old Jamiton Chimpando, reminded her why she had started.

When they returned from farming and Kausiwa said she was too tired to attend her Monday, Wednesday or Friday class, Chimpando encouraged her to go. He would cook lunch for the family and remind her to leave on time.

Kausiwa dropped out of school in Standard 3 because her parents could not afford the K1.50 required for her education at the time.

“At first, I did not want to go to adult literacy classes because of my age and the distance. But my husband encouraged me,” she says.

The journey was made harder by people who laughed at her for going to school at her age.

Chimpando says supporting his wife was also about helping her become more independent and contribute to the family.

He says Kausiwa initially refused to attend classes for almost a year, but he continued encouraging her and helping her with homework.

He was particularly concerned about her difficulty with calculations, which had affected her attempts to do business.

Four months after she started attending literacy classes, the change became clear.

While doing farm business at Kampepuza, Kausiwa sold produce and returned home with the correct amount of money. Chimpando was pleased that she could now calculate properly.

“Ever since my wife became literate, we have been assisting each other in business by calculating our losses and profits. We have been able to buy chicken pens and about 20 chickens and we are planning to buy goats,” he says.

Kausiwa’s experience is shared by many women in Ntcheu, where women make up about 95 percent of adult literacy learners.

Of the 25 learners registered this year, five dropped out after their husbands restricted them from attending classes because of jealousy, according to officials at the centre.

Esnart Wilson of Chinkhwamba Village, Senior Chief Kwataine, knows what it feels like to live without the ability to read and write.

Unlike Kausiwa, Wilson never attended school because her parents could not afford it, despite primary education being free at the time.

“After marrying Village Head Chinkhwamba, I admired other village heads’ wives who could read and write and held positions in their communities,” she says.

Her inability to read also affected her marriage and business life.

People sometimes gave her letters to deliver to her husband without her knowing who had written them. Wilson says she sometimes suspected that a letter was from another woman because her “spirits” told her so.

She eventually decided that she needed to learn to read for herself.

After two months in adult literacy classes, Wilson was able to write her name “Esnart Wilson”, for the first time.

“I previously watched other village head’s wives sign documents while I could only use a thumbprint. My lack of education ad also prevented me from taking up positions in church,” she says.

Today, she can read her Bible, write and participate in church activities. She has been given a position in the church as a protocol member.

Her husband, Robert, says he became aware of the impact of her illiteracy through their experiences in business.

He says that when he married Wilson in 1982, she was completely illiterate. On one occasion, he gave her K50,000 to buy goods at Mponela Trading Centre. She returned with goods worth only K20,000 because she struggled with calculations.

Today, Robert says the family is benefiting from her ability to participate in business, and they have bought goats and chickens.

The stories of Kausiwa and Wilson show how adult literacy can extend beyond reading and writing. Women can use the skills to participate more fully in family businesses, church activities and community life.

Learners also receive integrated adult education, including skills such as tailoring.

The school’s chairperson, Beatrice Nsolo, says she is encouraged that some husbands support their wives, although she remains concerned about learners who have dropped out because of restrictions from their husbands.

Senior Chief Kwataine says he understands the importance of adult literacy and has introduced bylaws to promote participation.

“About 10 men were fined this year for restricting their wives from attending adult literacy classes,” Kwataine says.

He also encourages women facing such restrictions to report the matter so that they can receive support through civic education.

Ntcheu District Community Development Officer Ellen Mwahala says couples should encourage each other to acquire education.

“Literacy can also help families in practical ways, such as enabling parents to read health passport books and understand instructions on prescribed medicines,” Mwahala says.

On September 24, adult literacy learners who also underwent integrated adult education graduated at Senior Chief Kwataine’s headquarters in Madzanje, Ntcheu, with support from DVV International.

Kausiwa and Wilson were among the graduates. They received certificates for completing their education and training in tailoring.

Their husbands were there.

As the women received their certificates, their husbands clapped and hugged them, celebrating achievements that had once seemed out of reach.