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Albert Nyathi

Stanely Mushava Literature Today
Zimbabwe’S allergic distance from books is a recurring interest at literary festivals.

A wholesome reading culture, beyond formal education, is seen as the missing link in the country’s book value chain.

What emerges in most discussions is that people gauge reading against its economic implications – why then few bother with books in the face of immediate necessities.

Unsurprisingly, most reading anticipates examinations as these are overtly tied to rewards, while post-curricular reading is not widely considered gainful.

Zimbabwe’s condition has been deplored in these columns as literacy without literature, a deficiency encouraged by passive cultural institutions, especially publishers and policymakers.

Our reading culture compares unfavourably to developed economies which is sometimes taken to say we are yet to scale up to a point where we can afford spending money and time on books.

But it is dark counsel to consider reading as a luxury or a liability, and to view books as forensic rather than operational material.

In fact, attitude to books can account for the difference between economies, with continuous applicants of new knowledge bound to keep the lead.

It may be that a strong economy is not the condition for a strong reading culture but a strong reading culture is the condition for a strong economy.

Our inverted perspective of books and benefits stand not only to maintain an austere chokehold on the book value chain but also to forestall economic growth.

This week, your columnist takes you on a trip to Chishayavhudzi, a resettlement area in Chegutu district, where reading has created a resilient community.

With a few upgrades, the Chishayavhudzi model can be gainfully replicated in poorer communities across the country.

Since 2004, an adult study group in Chishayabvudzi has maintained self-sustenance projects, powered by Africa Book Development Organisation’s community-based libraries.

Whereas the default picture of education is getting certificates to leave home and earn bread in the city’s formal spaces, or to be smart enough to navigate Egoli’s economic connectography, the adult study circle empowers people to maximise local opportunities and develop their home areas.

Local farmers are also being convened for lessons from Agritex officers and ABDO staff on best practices in production and marketing.

“When we joined the study circle, some members were barely literate. However, they received training from other peers and once they could read on their own, they joined lessons on making products to sell to other locals,” Lindiwe Lomazulu (45) explained to Literature Today.

Chaired by renowned poet Albert Nyathi, ABDO’s study circles also cover Gokwe North, Tsholotsho, Matobo, Umzingwane, Chivi and Sanyati.

“We have our own library at Chiyabvudzi Primary School. The study material teaches members how to create and distribute products like cooking oil, bread, clothes, candles, sweets, peanut butter and household furniture. We also raise chickens and pigs with reference to the study material,” Anna Marimwi (47) chipped in.

“We have been able to raise money for fertilisers and fees from these projects. Sometimes a member borrows from the pool and we all win since the money comes back with interest. Although groups specialise, we generally read everything. Some of the knowledge, we apply at our homes,” Marimwi said.

The adult study circle programme is also academic. Out of school youths, as study circles read in order to rewrite examinations, to pursue further education and read novels for leisure.

Adult literacy is a component of adult education which entails attaining basic reading, writing and numeracy skills. We embrace not only adult literacy, but also adult education which is continuous learning,” said ABDO director Albert Mazula.

“Each study circle chooses a leader and they agree on days and times to meet as study groups. The study circles must study the market and try to produce what can be sold. Most micro-economic projects do not require heavy investment in equipment hence groups can easily switch from one project try to another,” he said.

However, to remain resilient in an evolving economy, the Chishayabvudzi study group needs a content upgrade.

Circle leader Dorcas Chazvi (61) told Literature Today that some of their wares no longer have a market so they need study material and equipment which enables them to create more ambitious products.

“When we started, we sold our candles to the artisanal miners of Chegutu. Now, they have since upgraded to torches. Our market for candles has significantly dwindled. If we have new books, we can upgrade our industries to manufacture the products that are in demand.

“Our clothes have been phased out by bhero (marked down second-hand clothes) and few people still buy from us. We also need to receive training from tertiary institutions and even outside the country for us to remain relevant,” Chazvi said.

In 2015, the adult literacy group pooled its resources and manpower to build a secondary school for the area, their biggest project to date.

“The community pledged to support all locally available resources such as river sand and pit sand, bricks and general for the building of the secondary school and drilling of a borehole. The local authority (Chegutu Rural District Council) pledged to provide transport for the materials,” ABDO chairman Nyathi said.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora has previously said the country is in need of 2 000 schools, with 8 651 schools housing 4,2 million students as at 2015. The shortfall was occasioned in part by mass dispersion during the land reform programme.

Local initiatives, backed by education development partnerships, will help meet the target but where communities are not empowered, lack of initiative is bound to slow progress.

ABDO in turn approached Japanese Ambassador Yoshi Tendai Hiraishi whose government provided $81 063 for the construction and furnishing of two classroom blocks, drilling of boreholes and procurement of desks for 160 students and four teachers.

Rural communities like Chishayabvudzi are home to out-of-school youths artisanal skills and enterprising dispositions are thwarted by lack of exposure.

Availing books to them will bring them up to speed without uprooting them from their local setting which needs them to survive and develop.

Rural folks face an increasingly adverse climate and routinely disruptive technological setting which does not favour a static skills set and lack of exposure.

Government has opened schools across the country for adult education to run concurrently with the business of the schools.

Paired with a vibrant reading culture from the grassroots level, this will see communities graduate from being perennial aid candidates.

To give power to the communities, cultural institutions now need to move in with economically synced content and other intellectual products.

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