Vagla of Ghana

Rooftop Literacy Fits the Culture

After learning the language, making an alphabet, translating the New Testament, and starting to teach reading, SIL linguists Marj Crouch and Pat Herbert left the rest of the literacy work to the Vaglas.

Their interest had just begun when a period of civil unrest disrupted the Vagla world. It was questionable whether interest in literacy would start again.

Jebenee Kiipo, who had come to faith through reading the Bible, discovered that many Vaglas wanted to learn to read. He revived the literacy program and became its supervisor, sponsored by the village chiefs.

Every evening the housetops would hum with reading classes. (The Vaglas do everything on their roofs.)

The newspaper they write and publish once expressed their motivation: "Every Vagla should try to learn to read, because reading... will help us to know our Father God."