The Iamalele people live on West Fergusson Island in the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea.
During the 1980s, a literacy programme was established for the Iamalele people. Pre-readers, primers and teachers’ guides were produced as well as additional reading books about their customs, traditional dress as well as hunting and fishing stories.
In 2017, sponsored by WRDF, the Iamelele literacy project was set up to give financial and other assistance to the Iamalele community to re-establish the literacy program and facilitate reprinting primers, supplementary reading books and provide financial assistance for school supplies and a small allowance for the teachers.
So far the project has provided basic teachers’ allowances, school materials such as blackboards, chalk and writing books as well as travelling expenses for the supervisors. Additional literacy books were reprinted, including 500 copies of each of Iamalele Ifuifufu (Hunting stories, customs and legends) and Vonu Ifuifufuna (Turtle story). These are being used by new readers to improve fluency.
For 2020, the WRDF project contribution covers printing of various materials produced by the program, with other local costs being absorbed by other supporters.
There is a strong commitment in the Iamalele community to continue their literacy programme in the coming years, and WRDF is proud to be supporting this project. This project is fully funded for 2020.
