Helping less fortunate through literacy

Parksville/Qualicum News, June 9, 2000
Many children in Kenya never go to school because of poverty. These kids are in basic literacy classes sponsored by ACCES.

In May, George and Beth Scott were in Kenya, where they visited basic literacy classes in the Kakamega area.

The Scotts are founders of the African Canadian Continuing Education Society (ACCES), whose mission is to foster social and economic development through education. The classes enroll children who are unable to attend school because their parents are too poor to buy the required uniforms, shoes or books. Beth describes the classes as both heartwarming and heartwrenching.

"The children are so pleased to be there, never missing a day. I was astounded at how well some of the most able could read and do simple arithmetic operations. What a pity it would be if they never had this chance to acquire at least basic literacy" says Beth.

The kids bring water with them when they come to school and also three sticks of wood for the fire that is used to cook porridge. ACCES buys maize for the porridge that some of the parents cook and portion out, a mugfull for each child.

"We were told that for some of the children, this porridge is their only food for the day. This is the 'hunger season', a time before the maize that is grown locally is ready for harvesting.
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