- Photo by Tom Chadwick
As I conducted the WAVES Community Survey in February, I had the chance to sit down and get to know many of the mothers in the community. I listened as they expressed their thoughts on life in Lobitos, including their concerns for the present and desires for the future. One issue that arose repeatedly and struck me poignantly was the assertion that many adults in Lobitos are illiterate. Usually mentioned rather furtively, “Hay algunos que no leen,” was slipped into the conversation here and there, and it became clear that the community recognizes this as an issue to be addressed. The survey provided a clear picture of the needs of the community, and to render this information valuable we must actively seek pragmatic solutions to the problem of illiteracy.
Literacy rates are closely related to access of reading materials, and Lobiteños, young and old, are rarely exposed to books. The absence of reading materials provides little incentive for someone to begin the formidable journey to becoming more literate. As a lifelong interest in reading is most easily nurtured from a young age, the most effective way to improve literacy is through children. Seeing my elementary students sit in rapture as I read them Dr. Seuss (El Lorax) before surf class gives me hope that they will experience the same joy of stories that I was given in my own tender years.
Some of my fondest childhood memories capture my mother, brother, and I curled up in bed reading Good Night Moon, Charlotte’s Web, or Tuck Everlasting. The books challenged us both in subject matter and vocabulary and sparked conversations concerning everything from family dynamics to the concept of eternity. Mom has been a firm believer in the power of reading for decades and experts in early childhood development tend to agree. My upbringing gives me a personal inspiration to provide for the children of Lobitos what many of us, as profiteers of modern industrial nations, may have taken for granted in our formative years.
Reading inspires imagination, stimulates intellectual curiosity, and significantly increases a child’s potential for academic success. Through vocabulary acquisition and subsequently language mastery, reading aids children in expressing themselves clearly and effectively. This makes successful socialization into a competent and intelligent adulthood far more likely. On the other hand, illiterate adults are virtually unemployable and often suffer insecurity and shame. In developing a reading culture in Lobitos, we avoid allowing these issues repeating themselves in the next generation, and on a grander scale, battle the cycle of poverty.
Our first and simplest step is to give kids books. During a recent visit to the U.S. I began putting together a modest collection of children’s literature in Spanish that I hope will grow in the following months and years. We have an opportunity to facilitate the intellectual development of Lobitos’ children by taking no more than a few simple steps towards creating access to children’s literature.
If you’re reading this and you believe children’s literacy is a worthwhile cause, there are a number of ways that you can support us. This may include running a book drive, digging out old books from your childhood collection, asking your local library for donations, buying new/used books, or donating money via the WAVES website (books cost $5-10; please specify Lobitos Community Library on the PayPal donation form). Please find our Book Wish List here, and feel free to contact me at kate@wavesfordevelopment.org for more details! Thank you in advance for your support!
