Conversations

Wednesday

September 11, 2019

This morning, I had hoped to visit Teacher Agnes Geography class. Teacher Agnes is one of the founding teachers at MGS She is a very experienced teacher whose enthusiasm for her subject is matched only by her enthusiasm for the quality of education girls are receiving at the school. Her enthusiasm is reflect in her comments on the original video, Maranyundo Shines. “ If you teach a girl in S1 or S6 and she goes on in her education and becomes a Minister. Wow!”

When I arrived at her class, I learned that Teacher Agnes had to take her daughter to a doctor’s appointment.  Her students were sitting at their desks studying. Two of the students suggested I could stay and talk with them. Never one to refuse the opportunity to speak with students, I agreed.

Figuring I should try to focus on geography, I asked the about what they study in geography. They commented on climate, the earth’s history, topography, regions of the globe, etc. They followed up with interesting characteristics of their “land with a thousand hills.” They talked about the terraced agriculture, the tropical rainstorms, the volcanoes (that are not active right now!) They wanted to know about the geography of Boston.  Wow. I felt out of my knowledge zone! I described what it has meant to be by the ocean, how the history and economy were both shaped by being near the sea. I also talked about how much of the area is now cities and suburbs  from which people commute to cities to work each day.

Somehow the conversation turned to the value of travel; how we learn about places that are similar or different from our own places. They understand that importance, and how travel can be an important part of one’s education about the world. Whether one can travel to nearby places or to far away places, one can encounter new ideas, new ways of doing things, different languages, religions, foods. It as such fun to hear them discuss travel.

Then it came: the question about racism. Is there racism in Boston and the United States? Before I could answer, I asked them what they knew about racism, words that they associated with that issue. “Cruel, injustice, discrimination, unfair,” were the words that quickly emerged. Then I asked them where they encountered that idea. One of the girls was reading Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She was able to give very accurate descriptions of where she saw “racism:" how Dyke is treated in school; how Ifemelu experienced dating a white man; how she did not realize she was “Black” until she arrived in the US. Clearly, these African girls are interested in this notion of racism and identify it as associated with the United States.

I suggested that if a group wanted to read Americanah, we could have a Book Talk over Skype. Two students volunteered to keep a record of who had read the book and when they were finished. I promised to send some questions we could use in our Skype conversation. I look forward to seeing if this can happen.

It is a reminder to me that there is always something to learn when we listen carefully to the young generation. And that who we are as the United States of America matters to nations around the globe.

A powerful reminder on this  solemn day.

Debating Environmental Conservation

Saturday

September 7, 2019

University of Tourism Business had sponsored a debate among secondary schools on the question of how well is Rwanda conserving the environment so that it can continue to draw draw many tourists to the country. Rwanda hopes that tourism becomes a significant sector of the country’s economy. Having been “on safari” at the Agagera National Park, I  agree that the natural beauty of Rwanda’s environment is a treasure.

This Saturday Conference  at the new Conference Center in Kigali featured a panel of national experts on the economy and environment and the final debates for the award. The Maranyundo Debate Club was debating with Lycee de Notre Dame, another girl’s school, for the top spot.

The debate was certainly lively!

Maranyundo students were the voice of considering how Rwanda needed to do much more in the field of conservation and preserving the environment. The opposing team was speaking in praise of what Rwanda was dong at the national and business levels to conserve the natural and wild spaces. They cited how the Genocide against the Tutsis ruined so many aspects of the land, the environment. But the Maranyundo debaters cited the fact that all nations have had tragedies, wars, environmental pollution. Yet many are making strides faster than Rwanda especially in educating the people about what each individual can do to move conservation efforts forward.

The 6 judges who  evaluated the debaters overwhelmingly felt the debates were “brilliant.” They cited how quickly the debaters thought on their feet. The  high caliber of conservation, the good evidence both sides cited. They agreed that the final round “was one of the best debates we have ever seen.”

In the end, the Lycee of Notre Dame was declared the winner; a Maranynundo debater won outstanding debater.  The MC reminded everyone, however, that all the finalists were winners…and had gained valuable skills and experiences for their continued education and career choices. (She also reminded the boys groups that the two finalist teams were from girls schools!)

UTB and the corporate co- sponsors of the conference—Rwanda Travel Board, School of Wildlife Conservation, Hermosa Life Tours and Travel---had interesting perspectives for students to note. The panel discussed the meaning of conservation as  essential for tourism, so creation of sustainable use of resources is a priority. Also, careers in tourism are not limited to tour guides. Careers are growing in National Parks, in the business sector, and many companies  which benefit from a strong tourism economy are adding positions to support the tourism economy. Education is also essential and the promotion of school gardens, teaching guides and curriculum guides are also essential to make change. Since 2016, when the focus in the education standards included conservation and environmental protection, 214,000 jobs have been created in Conservation.

It is so interesting  to attend events like this as we continue to develop the work of this STEM focused school for girls here in Rwanda. There certainly seem to be a number of ways that the graduates of MGS can think about using their science and math proficiency to improve the environment that is becoming so important to this fast growing nation.

Awards in Education

Friday

September 6 Part II

After our gift shopping, we planned to attend the Awarding Best Innovations and Practices in Schools, which was being held at the Ministry of Education from 1:00 – 5:00 in the afternoon. This is the first time these awards have been given. It has been the vision of the current Minister of Education, Minister Eugene, former Chair of the Maranyundo School Board. He enlisted the support of a number of groups, including UNICEF, Bank of Rwanda, Rwanda Air, Huawei and local businesses. The event would showcase  interesting ways students and teachers in Rwanda are bringing the tenets of Competence Based Education to life…every day.

National support for education and innovation in schools…especially those ideas and practices that have improved the quality of life for communities of young people and adults, as well.

The Definition of Innovation that the Ministry used to determine awardees was explained by the MC. For me, it had a particularly Rwandan perspective. Innovation needed to be useful to society, good for the community.  It must be an innovation that can be replicated to meet the needs of others. In this way, innovation is characterized by making use of new approaches to thinking about an issue; problem solving that indicates a different way of thinking. Rwandan education particularly  identifies the STEM subjects as promoting social good. It values addressing social change through research and applied examples.  

Areas that clearly were highlighted throughout the awards were reducing the drop out rate, dental health, the impact of rural women teachers, and student work that reflects innovation and application of classroom knowledge. Here are a few of the projects that received awards:

• 25 rural women teachers were commended for their exemplary performance and commitment to supporting all learners

• A teacher had started a museum in her school dedicated to teaching about Kinyawanda language and culture, a theme embedded in many lessons.

• FAWE teachers were recognized for their efforts on drop out prevention, engaging lessons and improved student hygiene

• A chemistry teacher who had few lab supplies was commended for using local supplies to teach chemistry lessons. His students made  soap and other cleaning products.

• A Sister was recognized for starting a project to sell rabbits to raise money for school fees to support children whose families could not afford the cost.

• A student had developed an APP to help a rural village be more efficient in distributing water. He was given a scholarship to continue his education at a technical program.

Students at Maranyundo School won two awards.: the Maranyundo Maker Space students won an award for figuring out how to design pieces they needed for a robot and printing them on the 3-D printer. Two girls were awarded round trip tickets to AE and attendance at a technology workshop.

A 2^nd award was given to three students who developed an  App which could be used by families to report student absences to schools. This reflected the critical need the Ministry has to reduce drop out rate. Families can communicate with a school. The school then reports absences to the Ministry  to note student absences so educators can begin to support  students and family to have student come to school

Maranyundo student TETA Kelsy spoke for the students who had been recognized.

Citing students who come from different backgrounds and schools each able to work with the information and knowledge they gain in class and use it to make something She clearly reflected the Competency Based education model that Rwanda is adopting. Big ideas and knowledge are essential for an educated nation. But it is also important that people learn to work together to bring good ideas into something that can help solve community needs.

She was an eloquent student voice for what these awards were developed to support. Education is becoming an essential to Rwanda as it continues to grow its economy and its entrepreneurial culture.

The Artists's Workshop and The Benebikira Mission

First day –

Friday September 6: Part I

Our arrival in Kigali on Thursday evening was a familiar combination of watching the lights of the city as we landed at the airport, feeling the soft embrace of the warm evening air and waiting in lines of quiet, weary travelers to show passports and pay for visas. A Primate Bus crew competently packed our luggage and welcomed us on board for the ride to the Serena. It was a delight to register at this welcoming hotel!

The first task we took on in the morning was choosing a gift for the Benebikira Sisters from the Maranyundo Initiative on the event of the Jubilee Celebration. Kathy Kantengwa was our guide, both culturally and logistically, for this weighty assignment. We first visited a gallery near the hotel , which she knew. The baskets, art work and textiles were artfully displayed…appealing to a Western sensibility of order and worth.

But Kathy had anther suggestion. She guided us to an artist’s workshop in the city. It was the workshop for the artist ----- and the group of young artists who worked and learned the craft with him. His son is among those novice artists  and he helped us select a large painting to be featured in the STEM Center at MGS.

The studio was quite amazing. It was a place of color, symbol and the vitality that expressive artists can lend to their work…and the viewers experience. The outside walls of the courtyard became palettes of color as the artists blended shades with acrylic  paints. Another wall featured the “alphabet” of symbols used by African artists to express the cultural truths. The painting we chose featured these symbols in a softly glowing representation of textiles in gold and ochre. And we also visited a framer to choose a frame.

We chose a painting that could be featured in the STEM/library building because the school is the place that symbolizes our partnership with the Benebikiras. It is the site, the collaboration through which we have known and admired them.

We have also collected contributions to purchase beds that will be comfortable for the elderly members of the Order. Our gifts reflect the essence of the Rwandan spirit exemplified by the religious women. Grace and beauty of ideas and vision coupled with practical solutions to real world challenges.

All this writing about the Benebikira Sisters celebration made me remember what I wrote about in October, 2009 when I first traveled to Butare. We had had a lovely meeting with the Sisters about school matters, had lunch and then prepared to leave.  That was when we saw the Woman at the Steps.

 At the stone steps leading down from the street sat a woman and her two children. The sisters told us that people come to the convent right after lunch because they know that the Sisters always share the food that is left over from lunch. This woman, young and seemingly quite lame with swollen feet and ankles was holding a baby perhaps 10 months old. Sitting at her feet was a little girl, probably between 5 and 7, looking very sad, anxious, hungry. She had on one of the school uniforms, bright blue, which I had seen on the road as we came from Nyamata.

One of the Sisters came from the kitchen with a pot of rice. With a spoon, she first fed the baby. She leaned into him as he sat on his mother; she smiled as she guided the spoon. He ate eagerly. Grains of rice.  Then she asked the mother, “Why is your girl not in school.” In Kinyarwanda, mother replied that she had begun school, but the school needed a new fence and has required each family to contribute 500RF (about $1). The mother did not have the money. “We will pay the fee,” assured the sister. “We will check to make sure your girl is re-enrolled at the school. She also convinced the mother to take the children and go to the local health clinic.

The Sisters do not only feed the people, they care enough to ask the questions that seek to find out how to better their lives. They have an unwavering belief that people can be saved.  Not only will they check to make sure the child in re-enrolled in school, they typically give small jobs to the mothers. Perhaps this mother can pick beans in the convent garden, or do light chores.

The mission of the Benebikiras is to emulate a mother's love for people in obedience to the Blessed Mother. In the case of the woman and her children at the steps, they fed this family and asked those critical questions that can potentially improve lives. As Headmistress of Maranyundo, Sister Juvenal reflects this mission when she says the girls at MGS "are my children." And she sees the students as a caring community, a family, to be nurtured and educated. And these girls are being educated to Respect, take Responsibility and Leadership.  

The members of the Maranyundo Initiative are surely  thankful for the Sisters and their good works…they are helping us all by caring for so many communities in complete and utter devotion to their faith.