The Word of God in one’s heart language is a powerful change agent. Senegalese believers who have attended French-speaking churches for years have finally understood the stories of the Bible after having heard the Bible in Wolof. Thus, the goal of this special project is to provide the Wolof Bible in oral means to an oral culture.
PROBLEM
Eighty percent of Senegalese, whether ethnically Wolof or not, speak Wolof as a first or second language. Because French is used in schools to learn to read and write, even the small percentage of those who are literate (23 percent) do not often know how to read and write in Wolof, making oral means the most effective way for communicating the message of the Bible.
VISION
The Senegal field hopes to make the whole Bible in Wolof available in oral means as a tool for both WorldVenture and the entire evangelical community in Senegal.
STRATEGY
We will use a qualified native Wolof speaker to record the portions of the Bible not yet recorded as they become available through translation. The project will make use of the recording studio of the Vernacular Media Services (VMS) in Dakar, Senegal, as well as the VMS personnel to assist in the technical end of recording.
CAPACITY
Payment to SIL Vernacular Services for use of a recording studio for approximately 45 hours amounts to $900. The cost to employ a native Wolof speaker for 45 hours of recording is also $900. The possible cost for a prompter or checker is $200.
