ORAL Literature for Development

🌍 STORY OF THE WEEK: The Son of a Poor Mother (Ethiopia)

What happens when a poor young man, a loyal dog, a cat, and even a mouse join forces to challenge poverty, and social exclusion?

We invite you to discover “The Son of a Poor Mother” (Ilma Haadha Iyyeessaa), an Oromo oral narrative adapted into a theatre play and published in the book African Storytelling and Images in Teaching Youth and Crisis Management through Folktales and Visuals from Kenya and Ethiopia as a chapter by Edae-Tufa Milkessa and Teshome Egere Mossissa

The theatre production was performed in May 2024 During our Second Annual Team Meeting at Jimma University, Ethiopia, by third-year students of the Department of Theatre Art Group. The play was directed by Hussein Gadesa, with assistance from Tena Alemayehu and Tesfay Equar.

A Teaser...

Abdi is the son of a poor widow. He has almost nothing, yet he shares what little he has with abandoned animals that others reject. A hungry dog. A cat. A mouse. They become his family.

Then Abdi falls in love.
But there is a problem.

The girl he loves belongs to one of the wealthiest families in the area. When marriage negotiations begin, her parents demand a lot of bride price:
Has his dream come to an end?

Click the Link https://doi-org.libugent.idm.oclc.org/10.1515/9783112235010-006 to find out.

NEW BOOK ALERT Continues!

What if the wisdom passed down through generations is exactly what today's youth need to navigate modern challenges? 🌍

We are thrilled to share the release of African Storytelling and Images in Teaching: Youth and Crisis Management through Folktales and Visuals from Kenya and Ethiopia!

This isn't just a collection of folktales—it is a powerful celebration of African knowledge systems, oral traditions, creativity, and resilience. By blending traditional narratives with stunning visual interpretations and critical reflection, this book shows how ancient wisdom remains deeply relevant for tackling contemporary social issues and sparking meaningful dialogue with young people.

What’s Inside?
✅ Authentic oral narratives – 11 captivating stories from Kenya and Ethiopia, presented in African languages. Teshome Egere
✅ English translations – Making these powerful tales accessible to a global audience. Munala Beatrice Grace
✅ Rich visual storytelling – Beautiful illustrations that bring the narratives to life. Gerti Wouters
✅ Cultural & performance context – Deep dives into how these stories are traditionally shared. Terefe Mitiku Kimingichi Wabende
✅ Teaching guide – Practical tools for educators, mentors, and youth facilitators to engage readers. Suma Inge Brinkman

"Stories can conquer fear, you know. They can make the heart bigger." Ben Okri

Whether you are a teacher, researcher, student, storyteller, or simply a lover of African culture, this book offers a refreshing journey into the power of stories to educate, inspire, and transform.

👉 Get your pdf copy today (https://www-degruyterbrill-com.libugent.idm.oclc.org/document/doi/10.1515/9783112235010-005/html) and dive into the rich heritage of East African storytelling!

It is with great pleasure that we can announce that our book can now be purchased and downloaded as pdf and e-book!

The book is important teaching and learning resource for teachers, lecturers and students to use for high schools and BA-level university.

We are planning to launch the book soon.

Follow us for more updates on this publication.

This is the website:
https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783112235010/html

During the Annual Meeting of 2026 of our VLIR-UOS Team project (Oral Literature for Development’ (OL4D)) we watched a performance by students of GDASAO of General Tadesse Biru High School. Here is a YouTube link to the images duringthe performance.

Play in Bishoftu June 2026 During the Annual Meeting of 2026 of our VLIR-UOS Team project (Ora...

New video with images from an Afaan Oromo theatre play available, check this out:

Webpublications & Videos – Oral Literature for Development’ (OL4D) Webpublications & Videos TWO CONTEXTS: Kenya and Ethiopia FOUR LANGUAGES: Afaan Oromo, Swahili, Digo, Gikuyu ‘Introduction to the Gikuyu language’ by Inge Brinkman Introduction to the Gikuyu language_Inge Brinkman Please respect the author’s rights when using this text, and use the following r...

– For those who read Dutch: interview of Megersa Regassa, Milkessa Edae-Tufa & Inge Brinkman with Nico van den Abeele, ‘De betovering van Afrikaanse vertelkunst: balanceren tussen improviseren en het collectief geheugen’, Open Doek 2 (June 2026) pp. 10-12.

Magazine Het OPENDOEK magazine verschijnt 4 keer per jaar en valt bij al onze leden gratis in de bus. Online kan je steeds het meest recente nummer lezen.

The OL4D project team of Institute of Oromo Studies(IOS) at Jimma University convened a stakehokders' meeting to bringing together representatives from partner organisations and institutions to strengthen collaboration and ensure the sustainability of project activities. The meeting served as an important platform for reviewing acheivments, sharing experiences, and discussing future plans. It also highlighted the critical role of stakeholder engagement in sustaining the project's objectives and in creating stronger links between schools, communities, and institutions working on empowering youth to overcome crises situations such as gender related crises, poverty as a crises, Othering/exclusions, disease as a crises, and ecological crises. Storytelling is used as a major tool to provok discussions.

We are thrilled announce that Prof. dr. Inge Brinkman from Ghent University, Belgium, was hosted for an insightful Guest Lecture and workshop today at the University of Nairobi’s Department of Literature!

​During the session, Prof. Brinkman drew from her extensive research in Gikuyu oral literature to share a captivating narrative (Wacici) that was used as a reference point for discussion.

She introduced innovative, practical methodologies for conducting interactive workshops using oral narratives.
​This vibrant exchange is a core part of our ongoing VLIR-UOS TEAM Project: "Storytelling and Young People Coping with Crisis: Oral Narratives and Crisis Management in Kenya and Ethiopia." By bridging traditional wisdom with contemporary challenges, the project continues to explore how oral narratives empower young people to navigate modern crises.

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Professor Suma Inge Brinkman and Dr James Wachira at Tharaka University, Kenya.

The lecture is live!