Neftaleh is one of some 200 young asylum seekers who have
benefited from JCORE’s dictionary project.
He goes to volunteer-taught English classes at the Refugee Council in
Brixton where the dictionaries are distributed once a week. His classmates
– mainly other teenage boys - come from countries such as
Afghanistan
,
Iraq
(mostly Kurds),
Iran
,
Pakistan
,
Ethiopia
,
Congo
and
Sri Lanka.
The greatest demand for dictionaries comes from the Afghan boys.
While
many of the children may be fluent in more than one language, many are
unable to read Romanised script. Finding dictionaries designed for them and
for other speakers of their languages is very difficult. The JCORE volunteer
in charge of the project has been hugely resourceful in tracking down the
right resources and matching them to each individual child.
More advanced students get
ESOL
dictionaries (for speakers
of English as a second or other language).
Each dictionary is inscribed with good wishes from JCORE.
We owe
especial thanks the International Bookshop in
Judd Street
for giving JCORE a
discount, and to Sayed, the Afghan minicab driver who arranged for his
brother to provide two dictionaries (one Pashto and one Farsi) and refused
to accept any payment. And of course to the synagogues, groups and
individuals who have contributed to the Dictionary Fund - your support is
hugely appreciated.
