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No looking back In December 2002, Benny Kene graduated from a World Vision-run adult literacy course. Little did he know that he was going to be a teacher by the middle of the following year.
After he quit school, Benny left his village in the Eastern Highlands and went to Port Moresby to look for work. However, instead of a finding job he discovered drugs and alcohol. He got married and had a daughter, but his wife and child left him and went back to their village because he was not able to support them. Fed-up with the way his life was heading, Benny enrolled in a literacy course organised by the Vadavada Community Development Programme. “Because of my enthusiasm in working with World Vision and the community after my literacy training, I developed a good reputation in the community,“ says Benny. So much so that, even though he didn’t have any previous teacher training, local church elders paid for him to undergo a six-week elementary teachers’ training course and then recruited him to teach at a church pre-school. Unfortunately his teaching sessions were interrupted when there was an ethnic clash and the children fled with their parents and did not turn up at school for many days. Benny, 31, is now teaching in a public school and hopes to continue his training, with a view to graduating with a diploma in 2005. After that, Benny says he could be admitted to any teachers’ college in the country, to get a full qualification in either teaching or education. However, Benny’s life is advancing on more than just a professional level. He has been selected as secretary of the Community Development Committee representing Kipo, the community where he lives. He is also the secretary of a newly formed youth group. The group has more than 60 members, including small children, and meets twice a week. Members participate in anti-drug campaigns and help local families with gardening and other household chores. “I thought I had missed out already [in life],” says Benny, who hopes to save enough to buy air tickets so his wife and daughter can share in this new life with him. |
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VADAVADA STORY ARCHIVE 2005 Snippets 2004 Diploma for Dennis Village court Snippets Showing his mettle No looking back Project extends 2003 Young man of vision Snippets Perseverance pays off Illiterate dad goes to school Families grow better life Former drifter builds business AIDS risk
Port Moresby: Snippets
Chitalmari: Reaching out Kaliganj: Turning point Laudob: Tailor-made Sariakandi: No bride price Tarash: Extra tuition brings top results Cambodia show on map Koh Andaet: Savings scheme Oudong: Making water safe Samrong Tong: Better sanitation means better health Stong: Welcome to Stong Honduras show on map Concepcion: Changing for the better Nueva Vision: Mobilising youth Valle: Farewell to Valle India show on map Banswara: Snippets Dahod: A man with a vision Dumaria: Snippets Gajapati: Snippets Girideep: Good news from India Mayurbhanj: Snippets Mumbai West: Working woman Ratlam: Snippets Malawi show on map Blantyre Urban: Charity and Aisha Chata: Plenty to smile about Mikolongwe: Trying it out Mali show on map Koro: In their own words Togogana: Welcome to Togogana Yangasso: Time in the garden Myanmar show on map Myeik: Snippets Nicaragua show on map Aguas Azules: At the helm Tlilican: School gets new lease of life Niger show on map Chadakori: Welcome to Chadakori Goulbi N'Kaba: Successes Rwanda show on map Kabuga: Welcome to Kabuga Tubehoneza: Building a better world for children Tanzania show on map Budekwa: Snippets Bugabo: Clinic has water at last! Bukene: Snippets Dakama: Conserving the future Ibuga: Snippets Ibwera: Snippets Iselamagazi: Good News from Iselamagazi Magugu: Snippets Nkoma: Snippets Nshamba: Snippets Uganda show on map Buyamba: Taking care of your own Ngogwe: Welcome to Ngogwe Pakwach: Farewell to Puvona Panyimur: Snippets Rakai-Kooki: Cool school Vanuatu show on map Tafea: Snippets Zambia show on map Mporokoso: Community leader Nakonde: Good news from Nakonde Siachitema: Time to know the truth |
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