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Prestance learns to read and write: Central African Republic

Prestance speaks of her joy at learning to read, write and count through a Tearfund programme for women in CAR.

Edited by Tarryn Pegna | 23 Jan 2025

Prestance smiles as she sits at a desk writing.

‘Being able to read and write completely changed me,’ says Prestance in the Central African Republic after a Tearfund programme gave her the training she was longing for. ‘I feel more confident now. I can learn a lot of things on my own by reading books, especially the Bible. My wish is to continue learning to read more and know more. If I learn more, maybe one day I can support someone else by teaching them.’ Credit: Saprod TV for Tearfund

Fewer than 30 per cent of women and girls in the Central African Republic can read and write. Prestance was one of the many who could not. Now, through a Tearfund project which supported around 6,000 women to learn literacy and numeracy skills, Prestance says she has been completely changed!

‘I feel more confident,’ Prestance tells us. ‘I can learn a lot of things on my own by reading books, especially the Bible. I’ve just been reading this passage in Matthew 7 from verse 1 to 5. It challenges us to not make judgments, but to see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, and to not do what God does not love.

‘When I was learning to read, I found that being interested, persistent and consistent in reading the Bible helped me a lot. Now, my neighbours who haven’t had the opportunity to learn often come to ask me to read and interpret what they can’t read and understand for themselves.

Growing up

‘When my mother died, I was seven years old. I’d just started school. I went to live with one of my maternal uncles – he’s the one who raised me. But he didn’t have the means to send me to school as he had many responsibilities, and a girl's education was not a priority for him.

‘So, I didn’t learn how to read or write, or even count. Over time, I tried to start small businesses, but they would always fail as I couldn’t write down my expenses and profits or plan well. It was a really unpleasant situation to be in, as I felt that people didn’t respect me.

And now…

‘Today I’m a mother of five children, and what I enjoy most of all is that now I’m able to help my children to revise their homework and lessons when they come home after school!

‘Thanks to Tearfund I’ve been able to learn these skills.

‘The training took six months. It was hard going and it took me some time to learn, but I came to really like the lessons I participated in – especially the notion of calculation that I’ve now mastered well.

‘I have a small business selling faggots [meatballs made from minced off-cuts and offal with herbs], charcoal and cassava. Before, I used to really struggle to give people the correct change when they came to buy my goods, but now I’m very happy I can calculate!

‘The impact of this training has been great and can truly be seen in my daily life.

‘In the past, I didn’t know how to use my phone or send and read messages. Today, I know how to work the phone and send messages in Sango [the local language in CAR]. At home, I am very happy to teach my children the basics of maths.

‘When I was learning to read, I found that being interested, persistent and consistent in reading the Bible helped me a lot. Now, my neighbours who haven’t had the opportunity to learn often come to ask me to read and interpret what they can’t read and understand for themselves.’
Prestance, Central African Republic

Hopes for the future

‘My husband and children are really happy that I received this training,’ Prestance smiles. ‘Even some of my relatives are impressed. It’s such a shame that not everyone can have access to this learning.

‘My wish is to continue learning to read more and know more. If I learn more, maybe one day I can support someone else by teaching them!

‘The repeated crises that our country has experienced have impacted the educational level. Today, I’ve been able to access this knowledge because the country is more secure. So, I want to ask all those who continue to stir up trouble to stop disrupting the education of our children. My prayer is that God will bless and help the authorities of our country so that they continue to work for our development.

‘We learnt a lot during this training, including about setting up small businesses. My objective is to continue learning because, over time, I’ve come to understand that the only thing that blocks us from achieving more is not learning. I plan to find a way to continue learning other trades, such as health and wellbeing.’

If you’d like to help make more work like this possible you can do so here.

You can also sign up here to join us in prayer each week for people like Prestance in places all around the world facing challenging situations.

Prestance shows her certificate for completing the literacy and numeracy course.

Prestance proudly shows the certificate she received for completing the literacy and numeracy training. Credit: Saprod TV for Tearfund

Pray for education in Central African Republic (CAR)

    • Prestance says, ‘The repeated crises that our country has experienced have impacted educational achievement.’ Please join her in praying that God will bless and help the authorities of CAR so that they continue to work for peace and development. 
    • Pray for more women and girls in CAR to have access to education and to all the opportunities that being able to read, write and count offer.
    • Lift up Prestance and her dreams of being able to keep learning and teaching others. Pray for God’s blessing and provision for her and for each of the 6,000 women who received training through this programme in CAR.

Edited by

Edited by  Tarryn Pegna

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