My name is Masudi, I come from Arusha, Meru and today I live around the Fish Market, working as fisherman according to the needs. I live in the Lebanon, to so-called place besides the official Fish Market. I got news about the Literacy Class from Issa Mfaume, who registered my name. He committed to invite all people living around to access the class. I knew just the week before that a class would begin, in the offices of the Fish Market.
Its something very good for me because I don't know really know how to read and write. I couldn't read the news or letters. I'm a musician, I like to sing but I cannot read text of singing. I have a dream to write songs, but until now I didn't manage.
In my family it was hard to finish school, it was too hard for my mum to support us to follow school. She had to raise us alone. I tried a vocational training, to be a metal maker but the same way we lacked of money to continue. I decided to leave Arusha to find a job in Dar es Salaam. I felt life would be easier. I first arrived in Ubungo ant then I went to the Fish Market to find money. There we are a group of young living as we can.
I try to attend all classes, I don't really feel difficulties to learn. My main difficulty is to see, because I lost a bit of my eyesight because of the activity of welding I did. I used to receive a lot of dust in the eyes, we didn't have protection. But it doesn't matter, I want to learn, I like it so I choose always to sit down closest as possible to the black board.
I tried to remind my friends that today is the class, I try to motivate them. The young who are going to fish during the night cannot come back to the class. They tried but its too difficult. I think for example about my friend Samuel, for him its too difficult, he's too tired to follow the class. Most of the young have to fight every day, they don't have choice, they have to go to work and miss the class.
The way we learn is not far from the way I saw in school. Maybe the difference is the atmosphere. We feel as a family, really. We meet together, we exchange, we support the neighbor besides. If someone misses one day we try to show him the next time what we did. We try to progress together. In school, I didn't manage to catch up, here I feel free, more responsible.
Before we didn't know each other very well, we just cross each other. Now we are friends. But we see people not able to follow, giving up.
Its important to know how to read and write because we fight to overcome ignorance. I feel myself more open minded. My friends of learners say it's helpful for them in their daily struggle for business. Some says it gives us freedom, for example when we have to move in town, to identify the places, the transport. In our community when you know how to read and write you feel more respected, recognized.
All of us feel joy to go to the class, with the feeling to progress, to see the world opening for us. Some say as well they feel like a relief. Now we feel part of the community as anyone.
And for those who didn't come, who don't dare to come we would say join the group, stop feeling ashamed. Some told me “you waste your time, you should go to work now” - but I tell them there's no age to learn, not a better moment more than another. There's no limit to learn. The most important is not losing hope.
