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Beyond Words - Lamek Odero (Sun Books) & Mary Silverweig (Tiny Ivy, Inc.) · WHAT I'VE LEARNT

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_01: Well, if the literacy crisis is universal, the World Literacy Foundation joins forces with Tiny Ivy and Sunbooks in Kenya to unite in educating those less fortunate.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_01: The key is to share resources to assist in tackling the illiteracy epidemic which is endemic globally.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm thrilled to have programme leader of Sunbooks Kenya and Mary Silvertsweg from Tiny Ivy here, based in the US, to discuss their collaboration with the World Literacy Foundation.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_01: So, Mary, welcome to the Beyond Words Global Literacy Podcast.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for having me.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: Now you and I are going to have a little chat first.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: Tell me a little bit about how Tani Ivy came to be because it's quite a it's a beautiful story.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_02: When my son had his first son, uh, his son was about three and was trying to teach him how to read, and it was impossible.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_02: My son said, the English language is broken.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_02: Somebody has to fix it.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_02: There's a reason why illiteracy is so high, and I'm gonna do it.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_02: So what he did was he invented a new way to teach people how to read.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_02: And he did a lot of research and he drew on centuries, centuries of languages that did not have a problem teaching their children how to read, like Hebrew and Arabic and even Chinese, right?
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_02: So what he did was he created an extended alphabet where every single character has only one sound.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_02: So what he developed was an alphabet or a language with a transparent orthography.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_02: And what science has shown is that the closer a language gets to a transparent orthography, the easier it is to learn to read.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_02: The easier it is to read the language.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_02: And so, in in the TIPS language, if you're decoding a word, you cannot make a mistake.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_02: If you know the sound that the character makes, it only makes one sound and and you can't make a mistake.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_02: And it works.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's extraordinary that he developed a whole new language, really, based on existing languages.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, yes.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_02: And we've we've had tremendous success with kindergarten through third grade and with um special ed children.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_02: And the thing is that that a lot of people are talking about the the science of reading.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_02: And it's very important.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_02: All of the parts of the science of reading are very important.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_02: But what nobody is addressing is the science of orthography.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_02: And that science, Hebrew again, is the is is a perfect example, is key to learning a language.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's it's easier to learn to read Greek or Finnish or Welsh than it is to read English.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, that just it's no wonder that illiteracy in the United States is so high.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_02: Over 60% of our children cannot read at a basic fourth grade level when they end fourth grade.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_02: So only 40% read at a basic level or a proficiency level.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_02: And we have cities like Detroit where the proficiency in reading is only 5% at fourth grade level.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_01: I just find that unbelievable in this in this day and age that that it's so rampant, the illiteracy issue.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's terrible and it's it's so hard to address.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's everybody is kind of stuck in in you know whatever they've been doing, and teachers are overworked, and and nobody wants to learn something, something new.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_02: But this really is the key to getting kids to read because it's easy for the kids to learn, it's easy for the teachers to teach, and it works.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_02: It really, really works.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_02: And if it works in Kenya, for sure it's gonna work, you know, work.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_02: Well, that's interesting.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, that that's what I find quite fascinating is that, you know, I mean, you've got three billion people who do not have the internet connection to technology is extraordinary, which I was reading, you know, about on your website.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's really to me, the fact you talk about the the power of language.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think many people have thought that the language was the problem.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_01: They don't that now that this is identified, how important that role is of language being accessible, letters being accessible.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, and and people will talk about well, you know, read to your kids.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_02: And if you read to your kids, your kids are going to learn how to read, right?
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_02: And it's wonderful to have people, parents, read to their kids.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's absolutely wonderful and it has so many benefits, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they're going to know how to read when they go to kindergarten because kids develop at all different ages.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_02: 30% of the kids have some kind of learning disability, 20% of the kids are dyslexic, and and they just can't figure it out.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_02: And we also in the US um stop teaching reading before kids know how to read.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_02: So they just they just kind of are expected to know how to read.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_02: They have other subjects.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_02: You say no, even when they even when they get even when they get to third grade, right?
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_02: By by third grade, reading is no longer being taught as a as a subject.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_02: And but but they're expected to read textbooks, they're expected to read stories, they're exp they're expected to read, and they can't.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you're based in you're based in Utah, but what you're saying is that this is a global and universal, and particularly in America, which you think of as such an advanced.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I think you know, we would understand that Kenya, there's some resonance that people would say, we understand that literacy is a challenge there.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_01: But what I think you're highlighting and your family business, which we'll talk about too, because I love that you're all involved, is that you've identified the chronic issue on the ground in the US, which Yes.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_02: Well, our headquarters is based in New York City.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_02: Is and yeah, we are we are in about 12 schools in New York City.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_02: And it's we have we have made a huge, huge difference.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_02: Kid kids have gone three to five times the improvement in grade level proficiency after one semester using this system.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_02: And we we are digital, we provide the teacher if they have if there is internet, and here, you know, here in the US, all the schools have internet.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_02: So the teacher has a platform where their curriculum is given to them, the lesson plan is given to them, the activities that the kids, students do is given to them, and they really don't have to have to do very much.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_02: Basically, though, we started with what we started with was a deck of flashcards, and that was it.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_02: And with a deck of flashcards, we could teach kids how to read and as young as as young as four.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_02: And that's all it takes, that's all it really takes.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_02: So that's why we're going to be able to adapt to the environment in Kenya, because not only are we going to be able to reach the kids in the city schools, but we'll also be able to outreach to all of the rural schools where where they have nothing now.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_02: You know, they they just they just really have nothing.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_02: They have no, there's they certainly don't have internet and a lot of times they don't have electricity.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's a great platform, but I think also what you're saying is the technology has helped spearhead it into more schools in the US, but in Kenya you can adapt and use either.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_01: That's true.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, yes, that's absolutely right.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_01: Because that's critical to be able to know that it can be technology helps you drive it out, obviously, because you can do it on multiple platforms.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: So in the US, is that it's is that expanding further into other schools outside of New York?
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_02: We're we're we are we're in um we're in a a number of schools across the country, um, but we're focusing on New York City.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_02: And right now, we do have a number of schools in the that are that are Bureau of Indian Education.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_02: So they're reservation schools for the for Native Americans.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_02: And those are schools that often have the similar challenges to uh what we find in Kenya, with you know, services lacking and funding lacking, and um, it's it's just a much more difficult logistical situation.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: They don't always what respond to having an alternate is that the challenge, yeah, I would imagine.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: How difficult was that getting that traction?
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: Was it was it challenging to get acceptance into those schools?
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_02: It's very hard to get acceptance, very, very hard because people don't understand don't understand the system.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_02: They they don't, you know, they think it's too complicated and it's really not complicated at all.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_02: And they want to do what they've been doing.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_02: We've been doing this for 30 years, so we're gonna keep doing it.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_02: We don't care that we only have 5% literacy in our fourth graders.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_02: We're still gonna keep teaching the same way we've been teaching because that's what we know, and it's easy.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_01: That's and that's the response that people have.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_01: And what you're saying is the entire education system needs to be revisited to facilitate this new way of thinking.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, yeah.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, if you know, it's like hitting your head against the wall, you know, when you have a headache, right?
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_02: Why keep doing the same thing over and over and over again if it's not if it's not working?
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_02: Why not take so the so the there's there's so little progress, right, with with kids in schools.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_02: Why not just say, okay, this one semester, we're gonna throw everything out the window, we're gonna try something new.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_02: The children, the children aren't gonna regress because they can't get, you know, the only thing that's gonna happen is they're gonna get better.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_02: You're either gonna stay where they are or they're gonna get better.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_02: And we have never had a school that did not show improvement.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_01: And so now that you're you're obviously getting success in New York with and in these 12 schools in particular, tell me a little bit about the um the applying of some of these new concepts in Kenya.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, Lamech's gonna join us soon, but in the meantime, can you give us a little snapshot of that collaboration?
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_02: Well, we started with well initially, I met Lemech through the World Literacy Foundation, and we were gonna do a project uh and it kind of fell through, but Lamech was was just really interested in what we were doing.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_02: So when he and I started dialoguing and talking and whatever, and he he had a school that he wanted to he wanted to try this in.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_02: So he got the teachers, you know, on board and he talked to them, and then we had training sessions with them.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_02: We did it, we did it by Zoom from here to you know to Kenya.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_02: Right, right, right.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_02: And it was, you know, he they were they were doing four classes, it was a second second grade, and it was remarkable.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_02: The teachers were remarkable.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_02: What so incredible about what I see in Kenya is the dedication of the teachers to improving the lives of their students and to doing whatever they can to educate their students.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_02: And if something's not working, they'll try something else and they they keep they keep doing what they have to do until they till they can get something that works.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_02: And so that so the teachers started teaching.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_02: They did have internet, so the teachers could do it on their laptops, right?
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_02: And but you know, the kids can't see that.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_02: Classrooms have 70 children in in a room.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_02: This huge huge classrooms full full of kids, all sitting sitting at tables.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_02: The ceilings are very high.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_02: It seems to me.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_02: Every picture that I've seen, that ceilings are very high, so there's a lot of echoing, and the um the ambiance isn't really geared, you know, to teaching.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's not conducive to hearing, right?
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_02: But they just keep going and they do it with the kids and they bring the kids up to the blackboard.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_02: So we have uh beside besides the digital platform that we have, we have books written in our language, our TIPS language, and we have a work, we have workbooks.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_02: And they did not have the ability to print the workbooks.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_02: They didn't have the funding to print the workbook, right?
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_02: So the the, I mean, not even not even page by page to hand out a worksheet to to a child because they don't have the funding for it.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_02: So so the teachers would would actually take the worksheet and they would write the entire worksheet on the board so that the kids could then do the worksheet and learn from the worksheet.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_01: And I mean the the commitment that that takes, you know, from a to replicate that yeah, on the board and when kind of handing out each sheet.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_01: And and and also it just highlights just incredibly just how incredibly limited their resources are.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, yes, it's it's really um, you know, it's it's kind of heartbreaking to see.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_02: So we started in one school, and then he calls me a couple of months later and he says, I've got another school I want to do this in.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_02: And so we do it in another school, and then he's got another school, and then he's got another school, and then he's got another school, and it's just it's just kind of growing.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_02: We um one of Kenya Connects uh school, which is a which is a wonderful organization, they run they run schools in in Kenya, and we're doing a program for one of their schools during the summer break.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_02: In January, we're starting with he's got uh Lemech has two more schools, so it'll be five schools in the Kisimu area, um, plus his a couple that are, I think, outside Kisimu.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_02: And we've got some private schools and some public schools.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_02: The he's getting the government involved to do some funding for training.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_02: And um, he has someone else who uh a very generous person who has been given Mark Stoddard, who has been um supporting all of the efforts to teach the children.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_02: And it's it's just amazing.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_01: It sounds like it's just growing and snowballing.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_01: And to that point, the World Literacy Foundation's Christmas appeal is driving that mission to support the schools in Kenya with Tani Arby's new innovative uh program there because I know you've been doing it for a while.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, so I actually have some details that with Christmas time approaching, that we'd love people to join supporting LEMEC and yourself in creating opportunity for people to continue to teach and expand in Kenya.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_01: So the World Literacy Foundation on their website, there's the ability for people to donate if they'd like to assist with this program.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm sure that your team are ready and able as soon as you can get more funding, I suppose, to do this in Kenya.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_01: And Lamech, who will join us, is actually uh meant to be one of the most extraordinary teachers.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, there's just such wonderful and program leaders.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_02: He's a he is uh truly amazing and he he works in such a collaborative way, and he he just he gets people, he he he never pushes anything on anybody, you know.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_01: He he gets he's a facilitator, connector.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_02: Yep, yeah, and he and he just manages to get it all done in his very quiet, competent way.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_02: He is he is truly a genius, you know.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_01: And and you obviously have great warmth and respect for what he's doing, but your program that you're from Tiny Ivy has obviously facilitated an incredible opportunity in his country.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_01: And that's that's the beauty of of working together and collaborating.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_01: Tell me what it's meant for your family, and and obviously, you know, there's a number of family members working at Tiny Ivy.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_01: How does that feel to see this growth?
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_02: Well, when we started, you know, from scratch, the ground up, um, I had we had kind of three goals.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_02: One was to teach, one was to help eradicate illiteracy in the United States, to get children able to read by third grade so that they could then learn everything, open all the doors.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_02: We also wanted to teach the world to read.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_02: And there's something about Africa that drew me.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_02: And I was hoping that we would be able to make inroads there because I felt it was a place where we could have a tremendous impact if we could make it work.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_02: And the third place that I think it has tremendous potential, the criminal justice system, because 80% of incarcerated people in the United States are illiterate.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_01: And majority 80%.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yep, yep.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_02: And and similar, over 60% of the of kids who are in the juvenile justice system can't read.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_02: So they graduate from high school and they're illiterate and they end up in jail.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_02: And why can't we teach, why can't, why can't we reach out to these kids and and teach them how to read before they're out of high school so that this doesn't happen, right?
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_02: So that they can have a better life, so that they can have a future.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's it we as a family, we're we just feel so fortunate, you know, we've we've just had very fortunate lives.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_02: And um, if we can if we can help someone have a better their life, have a better life, have opportunities open to them.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I mean, there's not there's nothing more rewarding than that.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_02: My son started it, uh, Zach, and my daughter started working for him from day one.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_02: And she's still Rebecca, and she is still working.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_02: She pretty much runs the company, and um, she's just does everything.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_02: She's one of these people who can wear, you know, a million hats and and all of them look beautiful on her.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, yeah.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_02: So um it's and the you know, working together has been incredibly rewarding for to me.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_02: It's different working for my son than, you know, kind of turning the tables a little bit, you know.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's interesting.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_02: But um, but it's you know, it's all it's all worked out and and you know, everybody's we're all we all we all do different things and compliment each other.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_02: And it's um it's it's just been a really, a really nice ride.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_02: We've had a good time.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_01: It's also a very rewarding space, and it's uh there's a sense of a common vision, common mission.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_01: And yes, that's also similar in your alignment with World Literacy Foundation, who obviously this podcast, I interview people every week about what they're doing in the literacy space.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_01: And one thing that is a strong theme is the collaborative nature of what they do.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_01: How have you found working with the World Literacy Foundation?
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, they're wonderful.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_02: They're just wonderful.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_02: I, you know, they they've been so supportive, and um, you know, we've done a few things together, and the they it's it's just a very rewarding uh collaboration.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm I just feel you know lucky, lucky that that that I've met them and that that we've kind of you know have have a common goal and that we're able to work together the way we do.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_01: So I think the feelings mutual because I hear nothing but good reports about that connection, and I'm very excited to see what happens next.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_01: But certainly the work in Kenya is quite groundbreaking, and it sounds as if it's going forth in leaps and bounds, and to your credits, that determination on your part, but also with Lamech.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I'd like to thank you for joining us on the Beyond Words Global Literacy Podcast.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_01: This will go out to the world just to tell them what can be done and to not give up and to stay determined because literacy the literacy revolution is here.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_01: So it is, and and we're right at the forefront of it.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_01: And you are, and I I thank you for that and for your energy and your commitment to this important issue.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you very much.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm very excited to have Lamech join us on the Beyond Words Global Literacy Podcast, all the way from Kenya.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_01: So wonderful to have you join us, Lamech.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Deborah, and nice to be here.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_01: Very nice to talk to you.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_01: So, can you tell us a little bit about what you're doing with literacy in Kenya?
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_01: Because I know that it's a big issue.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, thanks a lot.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um, LAMEC, once again, and I'm the program leader of Sandbooks in Kenya.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: The past four years we have been working with the government to improve literacy outcomes.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_00: And this is a request from the Ministry of Education, inviting all stakeholders to come and help them improve the literacy outcome in the nation because we still have low literacy in our lower grades.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_00: So basically, they have requested the partners or other stakeholders to come in in terms of providing quality reading materials and also boosting or enhancing, enhancing reading instructions within the partner schools.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_00: So we work with public schools within Kisumu, Jesa County, Western part of Kenya.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_00: And our major uh objectives are to develop literacy frameworks within the partner schools.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_00: So our frameworks, we work with the Ministry of Education to set goals for each school and come up with their standardized goal for uh like uh the whole county.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_00: So that is what we use to measure our outcome.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_01: And what sort of statistics have you got some?
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_01: Can you give me some idea of how many schools you're working with?
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_01: And do you know how many?
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, literacy obviously is a big challenge and critical to the development of both the schools and the children, but also to the community.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: I read somewhere some of the challenging statistics.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_01: How big a problem is literacy in, well, shall we say, illiteracy in Kenya?
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_00: For the last five years, the government and other stakeholders they have really invested a lot in literacy in Kenya.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_00: And we are very happy to see there's an improvement uh a bit, about 2%.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_00: But still we have out of five, only two are able to read at grade level.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_01: Is it two out of five can read?
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we are every learner should read.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: If they are in grade four, they are supposed to read at that level or higher than that level.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_01: Higher than grade level.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_00: So if they have like other subject uh learning materials, they are supposed to read and comprehend.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_00: So if they are in grade three, they are unable to read uh the context of a textbook and comprehend and answer questions, they are unable to read at grade level.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_00: So each learner is in grade one, grade two, grade three, by the end of the year, they should read at grade level.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_00: So the last assessment was done in 2019, 2021 by Usawa uh project in Kenya.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_00: They are doing assessment for literacy in East Africa.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_00: So they found out only two out of five are able to read at grade level, meaning we still love like 60% are not reading at great level in Kenya currently.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_01: 60%.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_01: That's a very high percentage that are not reading.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_01: So you're looking as a leader and as a teacher yourself, you're looking at ways that you can be creative in teaching these children to read.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_01: And my understanding, um, speaking to the tiny ivy organization, you came across what they do, and you you've embraced some of their new um, I suppose, educational opportunities.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_01: Tell me a little bit about how that works for you.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, uh, we have done the program in schools and we had come up about or we had uh received a lot of instructional materials, and it is not only us, it is in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: So at times uh we go through those instructional materials and we find out what works and what what is not working for the learners, and because it is like literacy, we call it it is emergency, it is emergency, yeah, yeah.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and uh we have to come up with programs that can work very fast to help us bridge the gap we have.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that makes sense.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_01: It's a it's a crisis, yeah.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_00: So when we were trying to find out what can work for us, what kind of learning materials and instructional materials we can use to help us at least accelerate our programs.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_00: We came about the tiny IV, and the way the program the system is uh developed is very easy for the teachers.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_00: Because first we don't want to bring new things to the teachers and to see we are overburdening them with the work.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_00: Then we also need a program that is quite exciting and easy to use.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_00: So Tiny Ivy program is really is very easy to use for learners because it's like a wheel.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_00: Just you tell them how to use it, how to navigate through the program, then they are able to use it.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_00: And it is also adaptable, it can be adapted to any kind of uh learning uh instruction.
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_00: So that's how we came about and decided let's start uh have the program in one of the schools.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_00: So we have five schools currently in school in uh Kenya and in the western part of uh Kenya.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_00: That's basically these five schools of a population of 1500, so it means that in grade one to grade five, uh grade one to grade three, we have like uh 500 learners.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_00: So we talk about 1500 learners in five uh schools, so each other.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_01: So 1500 learners in five schools, yeah, for lower grades.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_00: That's grade one to grade three.
• 28:10
  SPEAKER_00: So we don't just come up with a program and we tell the teachers this is the system, we want you to adapt it.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_00: We don't do that.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_00: What we do, we come as a team with the school, then we sit down, we have a meeting, we set goals, and we decide what to how to achieve those goals.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_00: Then we form the framework for assessment, and we say we choose also the tools to use for the assessment.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: Then we also choose the instructional material.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_00: So we have many kinds of instructional materials.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: So that's how we introduce tiny IV.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_00: Then we we allow them to do what they want they have, we allow them to teach with what they have, and then give them the tiny IV to teach as well.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_00: Then the later, maybe after one term, that's around three months, then they decide which works for them.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_00: So always they will say we want to take the tiny IV.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_00: So that's how we introduce tiny IV to the teachers.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_00: Then from there, we choose the leadership who's going to lead the program, who is going to be in charge.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_00: So we start with the school head, we go to the deputy who is in charge of curriculum.
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_00: Then we have our coaches.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_00: So coaches will be trained on tiny IV that they can support all other teachers in the schools.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_00: From there, we start the professional development.
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_00: Now we train all the teachers about the system, Tiny Ivy, how they can implement it in their classroom.
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_00: Then the commitment is part of the program whereby they agree that every day they teach, they give us like 35 minutes to teach with Tiny Ivy, and also uh learn us to get time to read books from the Tiny Ivy library.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_01: Which I believe is great.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I I've spoken to them and it's a it's a wonderful program.
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_01: And tell me a little bit about your story.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_01: How did you get into this?
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_01: And what what's your background?
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_01: How did you did you um learn to read when you were young?
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_01: And how tell me a little bit about your story?
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, thanks, Alanta.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I come from a big family, and our family we have like 13 teachers.
• 30:19
  SPEAKER_01: So 13 teachers?
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_01: Did you just say 13 teachers in your family?
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 13 teachers.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_01: That's brilliant.
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_01: How many in your family?
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_01: That's 13 teachers.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_00: Well, it's an extended family.
• 30:31
  SPEAKER_00: So in our family, we are seven, but for our teachers, then also we have the extended mothers with another teacher, so total 13.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_01: Wow, and it's a very, very special thing to be able to do to teach.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_01: It's one of the greatest honors.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_01: And so tell me, so so therefore you had people that around you that were teaching.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, so my father, when I was young, he was uh involved, he was a public servant, but he was involved in building schools and uh giving scholarship to the needy in the community.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_00: So most of the time when he was uh at home, he could be writing a lot of programs, reports.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I was always helping him to bring files in the office, do that, and that's how I developed uh an interest.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_00: So when I was growing up, he had a school, so I was yearning to be a project manager in his uh program.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_00: So I started uh being interested in project management.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_00: I furthered my ambition and uh did project management.
• 31:35
  SPEAKER_00: Then uh uh from there I went to Tanzania for exposure or observationship.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_00: Then from there started my journey to the literacy program.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_00: So when I came back to Kenya, we were also giving scholarship to the needy, but uh in between we had a commitment with these scholars that you have to come back to the community to give back as we have given you.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_00: So we could uh place them in schools to do the kind of anything they wanted.
• 32:06
  SPEAKER_00: But when we were coming to these schools, we were hearing cases like low literacy, low literacy.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_00: Can you help us help these learners to read?
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_00: So that's how we started literacy program in 2025.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_00: Until now, we are doing it, and in between, we got uh involved with Y Literacy Foundation, and they have been really of help, and we achieved a lot together helping not only Kisumu but many uh two counties within the nation.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_00: There's a population of uh 7,000 in total who have received who have benefited from the Y Literacy program in Kenya.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_01: So that's a lot of that's a lot.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_01: That's great.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_01: 7,000 children have benefited from the or people, because it's children and adults, yeah, have have benefited from the world literacy foundation's program in Kenya, which you've been aligned with, and that's how you're on our Beyond Words podcast today, because the World Literacy Foundation loves what you're doing and is respect and enjoy working with you and the literacy movement in Kenya.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_01: How how uh productive have you found that relationship?
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_01: And what is it that they've brought to the table for you as you work together?
• 33:21
  SPEAKER_00: First, uh, we have a team, a team dedicated to improve literacy outcome, and that is the major um framework for us, and we get the support with uh digital devices.
• 33:36
  SPEAKER_00: Very good thing.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_00: Like a school of uh 5,000 or uh uh 1500.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_00: You are unable to buy each learner book, but with a tablet, you can even have 400 books.
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_00: So you mean you will have a lot of books for the for the whole school.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_00: So digital devices, not only giving access to access to learning materials, but also it has improved and engaged uh teaching and learning, bringing kind of excitement, a lot of engagement while teaching.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_00: So it's quite a good experience that we have ever had since we started the program.
• 34:16
  SPEAKER_00: And also teachers are up gained in terms of digital literacy, something that was maybe not there in the rural communities, but now they are trained on how to navigate with digital devices, how to adapt them in the classroom, how to get the books.
• 34:32
  SPEAKER_00: So it's also uh an added addition to their roles.
• 34:37
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that makes a lot of sense because that digital program's been very successful.
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_01: And are you having um are you having any trouble accessing the actual devices, or is that something I know World Literacy Foundation also helps with trying to access and provide funding for those devices?
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_01: And that's critical, obviously, because it means, as you say, you can access, then they can access 400 books, and in fact, there's thousands on the library.
• 35:02
  SPEAKER_01: So do you find that that's a challenge, or are you meeting that requirement?
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because first you you find uh not all schools and not even our government are are able to provide these devices to schools.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_00: So if you find someone coming up with the program, it's really, really great for the students, for the teachers, and also for the community.
• 35:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_01: And so you have no issue with accessing devices, you have plenty, or you need more?
• 35:34
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, as we do expand, we do form partnership with new schools.
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_00: So, partner with new schools, we need more.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, that makes sense.
• 35:43
  SPEAKER_01: So it's an ever, ever expanding requirement and need, but working with the World Literacy Foundation, they're working with you to try and fill that need, and that's part of the mission.
• 35:54
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'd like to thank you so much for joining me on the Beyond Words Global podcast.
• 35:59
  SPEAKER_01: Lameque, it's been an absolute treat, and I love the work you're doing and I love your commitment and dedication.
• 36:05
  SPEAKER_01: And everyone I speak to says that you're a very, very impressive leader, and Kenya's lucky to have you.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for having me.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_00: Talking to you.
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_01: Absolute pleasure.
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_01: Well, at the World Literacy Foundation, we believe in literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning and education.
• 36:33
  SPEAKER_01: People who cannot read or write experience difficulties with simple everyday tasks, such as reading the label of a medicine bottle, filling in a job application, or understanding a traffic sign.
• 36:43
  SPEAKER_01: When we help someone to acquire literacy skills, we're empowering them to access to better opportunities in life to break the poverty cycle.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_01: It's a global organisation in Africa, Latin America, the United States, United Kingdom, and in Australia.
• 36:58
  SPEAKER_01: The World Literacy Foundation is on a mission to ensure that every child, regardless of geographic location, has the opportunity to acquire literacy skills and books to reach their full potential.
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_01: We're striving to eradicate literacy by 2040.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_01: Reading and writing should just be a basic right, not a privilege.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_01: So please, if you're interested, head to our website at the World Literacy Foundation to see what is happening globally, this extraordinary organisation, when we realise that there are 750 million people who cannot read and write.
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_01: So see if you can contribute and make a difference.