witchdoctor or Sick Man? - UNESCO

witchdoctor

or Sick Man?

Dolo Kadiatou Sylla

U
N
E
s
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Literacy and Non-formal Education Section
Division of Basic Education

Adapted from a booklet prepared at a national workshop
organized by UNESCO

Written by Do10 Kadiatou Sylla

Revised by the
Literacy and Non-formal Education Section,

Division of Basic Education, UNESCO

Translated from the original French text by Elaine Taylor
Edited by Cynthia Joerger

Graphic design and layout by
Charupan Jayanandana

ED-2OOO/WS/19

Tbis material may be reproduced in total or io part with appropnate acknowledgements to the
authors and publishers.

INTRODUCTION

Political leaders and development specialistsaround the world
have recognised that illiteracy - particularly among women - seriously
undermines their education and development efforts. Many believe
there is a need to make literacy programmes more relevant, so that
woman will remain in the programmes long enough to benefit fully from
the skills and information they offer.

This post-literacy booklet is one of a growing seriesof learning
materials produced under UNESCO-DANIDA’s Special Projectfor
Womenand Girls in Africa. The seriespresentsa sample of the products
of the regional and national workshops which UNESCO organised
between 1997 and 2000 in Africa.

During thesetwo-week workshops, African women and men
involved in literacy work were introduced to the concept of gender
sensitivity and the idea of addressinggender equity issuesthrough basic
education. Before the workshops began,they selectedtheir target
communities and carried out needsassessments.By analysing these
assessmentsat the workshops, each group establisheda list of the
priority issuesto be addressedin the booklets. Each writer worked on
his or her chosentopic with the support and advice of peers,the
workshop facilitators and other resourcepersons. Local illustrators then
illustrated the texts with simple line drawings.

The Literacy and Non-formal Education Section of the Division of
Basic Education at UNESCO edited the text and prepared the design-
layout for the final product which will be distributed worldwide.

Though the booklets are intended for usewith neo-literate women
and out-of-school girls, the messagesin thesestories, and the radio
programme scripts that accompanythem, are also relevant for use as
supplementary reading materials in formal schools for readersof both
sexes.

The subjects of the booklets, basedon the needs assessments,
reflect a wide range of needsand conditions of women in Africa - from
Senegalto Kenya, from Mali to South Africa, from Niger to Malawi.
Over the course of this project, a list of common concerns has emerged.
Theseinclude: HIV-AIDS, domestic violence, the exploitation of girls
employed as domestic servants,the lack of positive role models for
women and girls, the economic potential of women through small
businessdevelopment, the negative consequencesof child marriage, and
the need for a more equal division of labour between men and women in
the home.

Each booklet depicts one way of treating a subject of high priority
to African women. In the process,the authors have attempted to render
the material gender-sensitive. They have tried to present African women
and girls and their families in an African context, and portray the issues
and problems from their perspective.

We hope these booklets will inspire readers,as they did their
authors,to reflect on some of the life situations, problems and issuesthat
ordinary women and men face every day. The questions that accompany
the booklets will help readersask questionsand find answersto issues
that effect them in everyday life. The ways in which charactersin these
booklets cope with specific situations, rising above their trials and
tribulations, could serve as lessonsfor women and men living together
in 21”’Century Africa.

One afternoon, on the way home from
school...

under the baobab tree!

house. That o
man is a witch

That evening, at home, Awa talked
with her father ...

My daughter, in What does he
the market, there

like that. It’s

And Sidi talked with his mother...

I’m afraid to go to school! The old
man with the goiter is still there.
And I can ‘t sleep! I’m afraid he will
eat me!!! I’m so scared...

school.
I will go and
see Kadi, the

literacy
teacher. Sh

will know

He refuses to go to school!!!
wife. His son is an idiot. His
daughter has not had any children
had miscarriages...

eat your child? No! Nci is
sick! He is suffering from

4

These sick people are
always constipated.
They sleep all the
time as well. They
cannot work with this

From now on,
I’ll be kind to

country, far from the
sea, are more liable to
catch this illness.
Everyone must know
about this illness.

6

Three days later...

Come to inform yourselves!
Illiteracy represents backwardness!

Disease is not our only enemy...

Use iodized salt!!!
Join the campaign to

control goiters!!!

Kadi used her knowledge to help the
community.

8

Educate a women, educate a village.
Maybe even, a nation !!!

Questions

1. Why were Awa and Sidi afraid of Old Nci?
2. What did their parents think about their children’s fears?
3. Who does Sidi’s mother go to talk to about her son’s fears?

Why?

4. Do you think that Nci’s misery is caused by his goiter?
5. How should people treat Nci?
6. How do people with goiter feel?
7. Why are people who live far from the sea more likely to

have goi ter?

8. What can you do to prevent goiter?
9. Do you agree with the saying, “To educate a woman is to

educate a village... a nation.“? Discuss.