During our recent graduation ceremony at Kadzandani Literacy Centre, Mzee Guyo Kolosho joyfully shared how his son secured a job as an enumerator for the Kenyan 2019 Census exercise that would be commencing soon.

Bajila Guyo Kolosho acquired his Level Two Waata literacy certificate in 2017 while in form 3. He had joined the literacy classes so that he would be able to read the Waata Bible but he never imagined that God would use his proficiency in his language to get him a job.

Mzee Kolosho beaming with joy narrated how in the month of July this year, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) advertised 2019 Kenya Population census jobs which included ICT specialists, content supervisors and enumerator positions; one of the qualifications for this job was fluency in speaking the local language. Bajila, applied for the enumerator job just to try his luck since they were many who had applied for that post.

During the interview, Bajila presented all his certificates including the Waata literacy certificate. One question among many others that he was asked, was whether he could speak his local language articulately; Bajila in response pointed out to his Waata literacy certificate that was amidst his certicates to the interviewer, who was very impressed giving Bajila a direct entry into the job.

Word spread that the Waata literacy certificate was very valuable in getting jobs such as this one. This led to people flocking into the Literacy Centre seeking how they could acquire such a certificate. They were encouraged to enroll for the next literacy classes. There was great applause as Mzee Kolosho finished sharing his testimony, we are assured that the next literacy classes will be full; the community now knows that the skill of knowing how to read and write in mother tongue is a key that can open doors; not just a door to read and write in the Waata Language but other doors of service to their community.