A Glimpse – The Gambia

On Saturday, 26^th March 2021, the bible society celebrated for the first time, its Literacy and Faith Comes by Hearing (FCBH) day. The historic event was celebrated at Sanyang Village with a series of activities with high profile dignitaries in attendance.

The celebration commenced with a march pass from Mamina Junction to the Saint Vincent de Paul School all in Sanyang. The march pass was led by the Gambia Police Band, followed by various schools from in and around Sanyang, Students of the literacy and FCBH classes, coordinators of the various literacy classes and the staff and board of the bible society.

The people in attendance were warmly welcomed by the vice chairperson of the bible society, Mrs. Helen Musa-Kormayea.

The Secretary General of the society, Mr. Michael Ellis stated in speech that the bible society has been actively involved in literacy since its official registration with the government in 2003. “As we speak today, we have successfully translated the bible into the Mandinka and Jola languages. We’ve also empowered people through our literacy program” he said. Mr. Ellis also appealed to the ‘Alkalos’ (Village heads) and the various group heads to actively encourage their villagers to embrace these programs to protect our languages and culture and also solidify our faith.

Despite threats posed by the rain, an impressive number of about three hundred and fifty people turned out for the event. This is just to show the impact of the literacy and FCBH programs. This is thanks to the hard work of over fifty coordinators and teachers who were certified during the event.

Madam Musu Bakoto Sawo, the national coordinator of Think young Women, A legal scholar at the law faculty of the university of The Gambia and a children and women’s right activist for over nineteen years of experience to name a few, was the keynote speaker at the event. She started by sharing the story of how she escaped the grip of the culture of early marriage when it nearly shattered her dreams of being a lawyer when she was only fourteen years.

She highlighted that we owe children a good education and guidance to ensure that they live out their full potential. She added that education does not only stop with children because adult literacy can ensure that old people know their religion and escape the grip of blindly following misinterpreted laws. This she said will help people because when you know your religion, you become a better person.

In his address, the chairman of the bible society, Reverend Father Anthony Gabisi talked about the need to have a common language for effective communication to take place. He added that this is why literacy and FCBH comes into play. “The language is what we learn and the word is what teaches us how to live”. He went further to engage the crowd in Wolof (one of the widely spoken local languages).

The former governor of the West Coast region of the Gambia, Abdul FM. Badjie also addressed the crowd. He started by recognizing the endless efforts of the bible society in The Gambia, labelling it ‘a major stakeholder’ in adult education.

He stated that literacy in our local languages can help us easily make one of the local languages to be the official language, adding that that would greatly help us preserve our culture and traditions.

Certificates were given to the twelve coordinators in the five different clusters around the country, the literacy and FCBH teachers and the national literacy coordinator, Mr. Francis Mendy.

Extra activities such as singing, drama, scripture reading by some of the students from the different clusters and a special performance by the ‘bathiai ‘musical and cultural group took place during the event too.

Hesekiya la kuuraŋo

(2 Mansoolu 20:1-112 Taarika 32:24-26)

1 Wo waatoo la, Hesekiya naata kuuraŋ baake, fo a be naa faa la. Amosi dinkewo Annabilayi Yesaya taata a yaa, a ko a ye ko, “Yaawe* ko i ye i la bunkono kuwolu bo ñoo to, kaatu i be faa la le, i te kendeyaa la.” 2 Bituŋ Hesekiya ye a ñaa tiliŋ bumbaloo la, a duwaata ka Yaawe daani ko, 3 “M Maarii Yaawe, ŋa i daani i si ñiŋ juubee ko, n taamata i ñaa koto tiliŋo le la, aniŋ sondome seneyaa, aduŋ m baarata kuwolu le la mennu beteyaata i fee.” Bituŋ a kumboota kendeke. 4 Yaawe la kumoo naata Yesaya kaŋ ka a fo a ye ko, 5 “Taa i ye a fo Hesekiya ye, nte Yaawe, a bonsuŋ Dawuda la Alla ko, ŋa a la duwaa moyi le, aduŋ ŋa a ñaajiyo je le. Saayiŋ, m be sanji taŋ niŋ luulu le lafaa la a siyo kaŋ. 6 M be ate niŋ ñiŋ saatewo bee le tankandi la Asiriya mansa ma. M be loo la ñiŋ saatewo ye le. 7 Nte Yaawe ye meŋ laahidi, m be a ke la le. Ñiŋ ne be ke la i ye taamanseeroo ti: 8 M be niiniyo, tiloo ye meŋ dii, murundi la kooma le fo simfaañaa taŋ, Ahasi la selenselendaŋo kaŋ.” Bituŋ tiloo muruta kooma simfaañaa taŋo la, a jiita nuŋ meŋ na.

9 Hesekiya, Yahuuda mansa la duwaa le mu ñiŋ ti, a ye meŋ ke, kabiriŋ a saasaata, bituŋ a naata kendeyaa a la saasaa to. A ko:

10 Ŋa ñiŋ ne miira m faŋ ma ko,

m be n taŋ niŋ fula waatoo meŋ na,

saayaa be n na daa konkoŋ na le,

ka n na baluwo toomaa bee buusi m bulu.

11 Ŋa a miira le fanaa ko,

n te Yaawe je la kotenke,

baluuriŋolu kono duniyaa jaŋ.

N te hadamadiŋ je la kotenke,

waraŋ n niŋ moolu ye tara ñoo kaŋ,

mennu be baluuriŋ ñiŋ duniyaa kono.

12 Ì ye n na buŋo taa m bulu le,

aduŋ ì ye a kafu ñoo ma le,

ko kantarilaa la jembereŋo.

Ko daarilaa ka a ke ñaameŋ,

ŋa n na baluwo moromoro wo le ñaama ko bayi faanoo.

N kuntuta daarilaŋ dokoo bala le ko bayoo.

Suuto tili, n ka tu a miira la le ko,

Maariyo be naa n na baluwo daŋ na le.

13 N ka tu m miira la le fo fanoo ye ke.

A ye n kuloolu bee kati le ko jatoo.

Suuto tili, n ka tu a miira la le ko,

Maariyo be naa n na baluwo daŋ na le.

14 N woosiita le ko kunoo,

n woosiita ko puraa la woosiyo.

N ñaa korita juubeeroo la saŋo santo le.

Hee Maariyo, m bataata le, naa n deemaa.

15 Bari n si muŋ ne fo noo?

A ye laahidoo dii le,

aduŋ a ye meŋ fo, a ye a ke le.

M buka siinoo noo fereŋ,

kaatu n niyo kuyaata le.

16 Maariyo, i ye baluwo dii mennu la,

ì be baluu la le.

Ñiŋ kuwolu bee kono,

n niyo ye baluwo soto le,

i ye n kendeyandi keseŋ,

aduŋ i si n tentendi ka baluu.

17 Tooñaa, ka dimiŋ baa ñiŋ muña, keta n ye kendeyaa le ti.

I ye i la kanoo yitandi n na le,

ka n tankandi kasaaroo dinkoo ma.

I ye n na junuboolu bee fayi i kooma le.

18 Moolu mennu be kaburoo kono, te i jayi la noo,

moo te i tentu noo la saayaa kono,

kaburukononkoolu te ì jikoo loo noo la i la tiliŋo kaŋ.

19 Baluuriŋolu mennu be baluuriŋ,

ì ka i jayi le ko ŋa a ke ñaameŋ bii,

faalu ka i la tiliŋo seyinkaŋ ì diŋolu ye le.

Literacy and FCBH Day

On Saturday, 26th March 2021, the bible society celebrated for the first time, its Literacy and Faith Comes by Hearing (FCBH) day. The historic event was celebrated at Sanyang Village with a series of activities with high profile dignitaries in attendance.

20 Yaawe be n tankandi la le,

aduŋ m̀ be suukuwolu laa la kooraalu le la,

Yaawe Batudulaa Buŋo* to, m̀ baluu tiloolu bee la.

21 Bituŋ Yesaya ko, “Ali sooto diŋ tuuriŋo dadaa, ali ye a ke maadiŋo ñiŋ to fo a si kendeyaa.” 22 Hesekiya ye Yesaya ñininkaa le ko, “Muŋ ne be ke la taamanseeroo ti ko, m be taa Yaawe Batudulaa Buŋo to le?”

Yesaya 38