This site has been produced by the "Functional Literacy" project within Wycliffe Associates (UK). We are a registered charity in the UK. If you would like more information about our parent organisation, perhaps with a view to helping support our work, please click here or on the WA logo at the top left-hand corner of this page. (Then look for a link at the bottom of the Home Page to the section that tells you "All About WA".)

What are we all about? Well, we use a concept called "Shell Books". These are "how to do it" booklets produced as computer files that can be printed off locally. The text can be lifted out and replaced in any language - the pictures and all the formatting (the 'Shell') remain. The books can then be used as a resource by literacy workers who are teaching adults to read. The subject matter is generally much more interesting than a simple reading primer! The books can also be used by Community Development workers to teach new skills or to generate interest in new projects.

The booklets are listed under health and hygiene, diseases and illnesses, animal husbandry, small-scale farming and practical craft issues, such as simple construction techniques, jam making, bicycle maintenance, etc. They can be downloaded either in MS Word or MS Publisher format, and when printed will produce A5 size booklets. All the books were originally written in English but many have now been translated into French, Portuguese and Spanish as well.

This site contains all the booklets produced by our project and you may freely download and use them, provided that you keep to our terms and conditions.

The booklets may also be obtained on free CDs - we produce two with the English books;  two with the French books and currently one each for the Portuguese and Spanish titles. Click on "Compact Discs" in the left-hand panel for more details.

If you would like to give a rating (1-5 stars) for each title and add a comment about it to help others who may be considering its use, we would appreciate your help. You will need to register on the site to do so. Click on "Register" in the left-hand panel for more details.

Please note that our Visitors' Book has been removed owing to persistent abuse by spammers. Sorry about that. We're looking for a facility that offers better protection against this kind of thing and hope to re-introduce the facility again later.