Postscript

Photo by Leila Schoeder

MUSOMA, TANZANIA—Trial versions of transition primers have been completed for nine Tanzanian languages—Ikizu, Ikoma, Kabwa, Mkwaya, Jita, Ngoreme, Simbiti, Zanaki and Zinza. These approximately 20-page workbooks will help speakers of these languages who know how to read KiSwahili learn to read their mother tongues.  Primers have been designed to be self-checking. Individuals can go through them on their own and test their knowledge without an instructor or classroom time.  1,800 primers will be distributed the first week of December along with the first portions of scripture translated into these languages.  Those who have completed the primers should be able to read the scripture portions.

Leila Schoeder, literacy consultant for SIL International*, assisted in the creation of the primers.  She is looking forward to what will result when the primers and scripture portions are put into use. “I hope people will find reading their mother tongue to be easy, once they’ve tried it.  I also hope their appetites for the Scriptures will be something powerful, once they’ve had a taste.”

Primers will be tested and revised before the next publishing.  The communities that speak these languages are located on the shores of Lake Victoria in northern Tanzania.  Tanzania has 128 living languages.  KiSwahili is the national language.

Learn more about the nine languages receiving transition primers.

View some videos of life in Musoma.

*SIL International is an affiliate organization of Wycliffe.

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