January 2026: Inspiration from Simple Things

 

Joni and I are traveling to Rwanda to work with Sister Laetitia on some projects she has been thinking of. We also are eager to make progress bringing a pottery studio to the MGS Maker Space. Bernie and Sue Pucker have been patiently watching Joni, myself and Ned Levering gather information about what installing a pottery studio will entail and moving forward. We have also learned a wonderful array of historical stuff about the role of pottery in East Africa.

Of course, for Bernie and Sue, Brother Thomas Bezanson is central to what making pottery means. Creating beautiful objects from the humble clay of the earth requires human hands, a curious, creative mind, an unflinching eye, and a spirit that believes in how beauty and sharing beauty is at the heart of how people have made art and objects with their hands, in community. Brother Thomas wrote, “The beautiful is at the center of every civilization in its art, its music, its architecture, its people.”

 

I’ve been holding these lofty thoughts in my mind as Joni and I navigate the details of preparing for the trip…only to learn when we arrived at Logan that Amsterdam airport is facing a weeklong snow event. And travel in and out of Amsterdam is iffy.

Brother Thomas wrote. “Inspiration can be found in the simplest moments.” Joni and I are keeping that in mind as we allow ourselves a space to “go with the flow.” We chose to fly out of Boston and risk being stuck in Amsterdam. The flight from Boston to Amsterdam set down at 8:30 AM. By 9:00 we had found the departure board that listed 90% of flights. As cancelled; Amsterdam to Kigali, DL9151, was “on time.” A simple moment that filled us with satisfaction, relief, and inspiration as we continued on to Rwanda and the work that always delights and inspires us.

I always remember that departing from the plane at Kigali airport features walking into that soft, velvet warm evening air. Surely that snowscape of Schiphol airport must have been a dream. We arrived at the MGS campus, encountered the usual warm welcome of the Sisters in their residence. After consuming the wonderful soup made from the MGS garden vegetables and herbs, Joni and I succumbed to a deep sleep.

Today our focus was on meeting with Sister Laetitia to plan for our tasks on this visit. Writing an email to a colleague in the Education  Department at Tufts earlier, I wrote, “It is wonderful to be at this school that nourishes every bit of my educator being.”  I hope to share some of those nourishing moments with you in this blog for the next 2 weeks.

Linda V Beardsley

It Has Been A Remarkable Trip

Saturday

July 1, 2023

An hour after the close of the Our Future Green Village Competition at Maranyundo Girls School, Joni and I were on our way to the airport to begin our journey back to Boston. It was a remarkable day for a final day in Rwanda. The Competition was a partnership among the PEBL Grant funded by LEGO Foundation, The Maranyundo Girls School and the support of Tufts University. It was an opportunity for the teachers who had been trained in Novel Engineering in April and December 2022 who had been given material to start a Maker Space in their school, to show what their students had been able to do to envision a “future green village.” The task was: 1) Identify a local environmental problem; 2) develop a solution; 3) integrate the solution into a design of your community. Teachers and students from 21 schools across  Rwanda participated. The day was amazing.

 

Joni and I were up bright and early to watch the banner being hung in the Main Hall just as the first schools began to arrive. What I first noticed was how happy and proud teachers and students alike seemed as they found their demonstration space along the perimeter of the Hall and set-up their exhibits. To see the joy ad enthusiasm of the work they had done was truly inspiring.  After all the schools had set up their projects as well as other projects they had made in their maker space clubs, the teams demonstrated their projects before a team of judges. As Sister Laetitia watched the demonstrations, she comments, “The students have created wonders.” Yes, she said what so many in the Main Hall were thinking!

 

 

As the judges deliberated, the students from MGS entertained us with a traditional dance and chorus. Maranyundo graduate and former Maker Space Prefect, Leslie Isaro interviewed a panel of both teachers and students who articulated their experiences of making as a form of teaching and learning. And then SANDE Robert announced the judges decisions and the winners in each category. The atmosphere was “electric.” The excitement was well deserved as award winners were given tablets for their clubs. The grand prize was a 3-D printer. Those whose projects were not mentioned as “winners,” also received materials for their clubs. Clearly, the work of making will continue to shape the teaching and learning of these Maker Space pioneers!

As I considered what the day had taught me, I thought about how the events of the day had brought to life 3 of the quotes that shape my own teaching and learning. First, I thought of Debbie Meier’s mantra that “Schools are where we learn how public life is lived.” The students who participated in this competition had been guided by their teachers to demonstrate how their experience of school, their learning every day, can serve their communities. They can envision how education can shape the public life of their communities.

 

Second, I was reminded of Chinua Achebe and his statement to Bill Moyers of what had guided his determination to write the African story from an African perspective. He believed that if you do not see a story in which you and your dreams are reflected, if you see “a gap in the bookshelf, write your own story.” These students and teachers who were represented in this competition were, indeed, using their making to write a new story of how envisioning a “green village” can be  a hallmark of the future for communities across Rwanda. Education should help each of us to “write the story” of the future and how each of us has agency to make that future a reality

 

Third, I recall the words of Senator Aloisea Inyumba, whose vision of education is brought to life every day in the work of the Maranyundo Girls School. She always reminded us that we must believe in the grassroots people. It is the grassroots women and men who have been strong and who will guide us to make the change a nation needs. The teachers and students who have been working together in the Maker Spaces to learn how problem solving in teams, how hands on learning inspires new creations are the “grassroots” people who can build on the work of ancestors and traditions to build new initiatives.

 

These are the thoughts Joni and I had as we rode to the airport with Sister Juvenal preparing to leave Rwanda once again. Each time we leave MGS, we are already eager to return. We were so inspired by the work the teachers had accomplished under the guidance of Djamila, Robert and Clementine. We were grateful to the tufts team that included Noella, Pascal, Toyin and Noah for supporting the work of the teams as they developed and demonstrated their projects. 

 

It has been a remarkable trip. 

 

Linda V. Beardsey

 

"I Feel Like a Writer Now!"

 

 

June 30, 2023

Friday

 

 

As I mused on the last days of our December trip to Maranyundo: “Leaving Maranyundo is always a process…” This time, the process included putting closure on the. Writing Project Joni and I had come here to share with the students, to give some shape to Sister’s focus of developing a culture of writing on the MGS campus, along with a culture of reading.

 

In December when we came and now in June, the students are studying for the school’s end of term exams. The S-6 students are also preparing for the National Exams. Their time is filled with prep times. So Joni and I were not sure how many final essay drafts would be in the folder we had left on Nadine’s counter. We asked students to put their drafts in the folder before Thursday morning.  Sister wanted to have the collection copied and given to each student who had participated in the Writing Project. But they had had so many exams to prepare for! So when I walked up to the Administration building to get the folder, I was unsure of what I would find. Yet when I picked up the folder I was amazed that 23 girls had managed to find time to edit and copy their essays! The remaining girls gave us their essays later that afternoon…with apologies.

 

Our writing prompt entitled “I am Learning: Writing about Becoming Educated” asked the students to consider 5 aspects of learning a lesson in their courses.

·      First describe the lesson.

·      Was the lesson easy or challenging?

·      What helped you to understand the lesson?

·      How did this lesson help you to understand how you are becoming an educated young woman?

·      Did you also learn something about yourself?

The students wrote thoughtfully about lessons in their classes and what they had learned. They also shared what they had learned about themselves in their classes. As teachers, Joni and I found these reflections interesting as they give a reader some insight into how students are processing both the content they are learning as well as how they are becoming thoughtful about using what they learn. Here are some examples of the students’ writing:

 

·      “Computer science is all about programming and it requires full focus and attention…I learnt the only thing you have got to do to achieve something is putting your whole heart in it, stay focused on your goals.”

·      The lesson that I learnt was being on the basketball team…I learnt every obstacle Kobe Bryant met he didn’t give up. Instead, he found a way…to improve on his skills.”

·      My favorite subject is Geography which is the science about the Earth…One day we were learning about pollution and the teacher was talking about how industries pollute…and also how we are the cause of pollution…I came to know that I can also destroy the environment …and must think of ways to conserve it.”

·      “It was a very challenging lesson in math on linear inequalities…I started getting discouraged, started crying…But I told myself never lose hope. I kept spending my preps on the lesson and I started making it!...I learned to stay calm in a stressful situation…Now, whenever a linear inequality is prepared on a math exam, I do it very gladly…glad that I never lose hope.”

·      “General studies and Communication is my favorite course…I can express myself…share my point of view on…what happens in the country.”

·      “I love when [something] gets hard but you manage to surpass it and win. I feel the same in math class.”

·      “Sometimes we learn and face different challenges. When I first came to secondary school I faced new subjects in class which were very complicated. Physics was one of those…I tried to follow physics in class and also making my own research…This really showed me that I am becoming an educated young woman.”

·      “Mathematics is the study of calculations, solving problems, equations…it is complicated if a learner doesn’t understand what he/she is learning…Then this day we were studying about vectors …each vector has an origin and a arrow shows the direction…That made me think that everything in life has a beginning and an end.”

·      “Education is something you are always doing…Education is not just sitting in class, face to face…listening to a teacher. We also get an education or learn from our mistakes, our experiences and all things that revolve around us all day.”

 

Partnering together and learning from discussion is working for them. The students often mentioned that they left a class with new information they did not fully grasp. When they had an opportunity to talk to classmates about the lesson, they found they understood material much better. This way of discussing lessons and concepts with one another builds on Sister Laetitia’s idea of collaborative learning, discussion prep and lifting each other up. Here are some examples of student writing on learning by discussion:

 

·      I am a huge fan of makerspace! I love all the activities we do in there…One day my friend and I were trying to design a game. We had to program microbit using some codes. But the game did not work out. I started getting frustrated…We told our problem to the senior student and she helped us. Our game was working…I learned I don’t always have to come up with solutions on my own…I gained so much knowledge interacting with the senior.

·      The lesson [about the Genocide against the Tutsis] was easy because I am interested more about my culture and country. The things that helped me understand the lesson was a discussion with the teacher as well as my classmates.”

 

 

Our final Writing Project meeting with the students included giving them a stapled copy of “The Collection.” The students took time to read each other's essays and comment on what they had learned from these lessons and writing conferences about their drafts. (Several students commented that they had also learned from Kaelen’s essay and her presentation.) A comment that captured the essence of the experience says it all. Picking up her packet of The Collection a student smiled and proclaimed, “I feel like a writer now!”

 

Yes, indeed!

 

Linda V Beardsley

 

In Conversations

 

June 27 2023

Tuesday

 

“The nightingale will run out of songs before a woman runs out of conversation.” ~ Spanish Proverb

 

Today was a day of compelling conversations. For the past few days Joni and I have been meeting with the Writers Group in individual and small group sessions discussing the first drafts of their essays. Each student will make some revisions to their drafts, submit a final draft to us. Sister Laetitia has scheduled our last meeting with the group for Friday afternoon. Then we will give each student a stapled collection of all their essays, a record of the work that the students have done reflecting and writing about a lesson they have learned at MGS and what that lesson has taught them about their studies and themselves.

 

So today was a day for meetings and conversations that aways teach me so much about all that people learn in their interactions with this remarkable school.

 

This morning we met with Olivia, the recently hired college counselor and Tony, director of a resource center for students in Kigali. Rwanda is making strides to provide counseling that gives students graduating from secondary schools the tools they need to apply for post-secondary experiences. Sister Laetitia has done a great deal of research to develop resources that will enable students to have a variety of ways to consider what they want to do and how they can “explore their dreams” as Olivia describes her new position.

 

After that conversation, we met with Pascal and Noella, Tufts PEBL interns, to hear about their travels to the maker spaces around the district.  They have been writing stories of what they have seen, impressed by the “amazing creativity” demonstrated by the students in the Novel Engineering projects they have created, especially in the primary and middle school spaces. They also have been continuing to mentor the secondary teachers and students who have been using Arduino to create their projects for the PEBL event on Saturday.

 

When Joni asked Noella what she thought about being in those spaces and watching the students work together, she commented that watching the students problem solve and create reminded her of her own play when she was younger. “It reminded me of the spark I felt as a young learner making things and doing things in our play. Observing the making helped me to get back to that wonderful curiosity and trying things to see what I could do; what would work. Observing in the maker space, I remembered how that spirit felt. Watching students problem solve together, I felt that spirit and joy come out again…”

 

Noella really enjoyed the chance to watch primary and middle school aged students work together and build with re-cycle material…things that are often considered trash.

 

When Pascal shared his experience, he spoke about how much he enjoyed working with the teachers to help them gain confidence with Arduino. “Teaching the teachers about Arduino I was remembering a time in high school when our physics teacher left mid-year. The students in my class got together and we each took a lesson from the syllabus, researched it and planned to teach it. I really liked that opportunity to help my classmates learn. I felt that same feeling when helping the teachers understand and do new things with the Arduino set. I think I felt a little spark that reminded me I enjoy teaching others. It is a special feeling.”

 

 

Exams end at 3:00 PM and students have some exercise and free time before prepping for tomorrow’s exams. Joni and I were invited to meet with Victoire (the Head Girl) Sandra (the Assistant Head Girl) and Davida (the Head Girl for Discipline. We met upstairs in the STEM Building. It was a terrific conversation, a privilege to hear from these students who have had leadership roles in the school this year. In December, these girls had taken us on a tour of the campus and we wanted to see what they are thinking as graduation is just a few weeks away.

 

Sandra is interested in cyber security. She is fascinated by the power of computers and how they will change our futures. Davida is leaning towards Community Health and psychology; perhaps creating a community space for young mothers and their children who need safe spaces to grow and learn. Victoire is interested in careers in medicine and how NGOs can nurture community empowerment. After National Exams are finished in early August, MGS will have a Boot Camp for choosing post-secondary paths. These three girls will attend that and they also plan to find an internship for a gap year experience.

 

We were still talking as the afternoon light began to mellow. They are so thoughtful about what being students at MGS has given them, as well as what the leadership roles they have played has taught them. They are such poised and confident young women with dreams that combine their interest on academic subjects and commitment to their nation. (I told them that in many ways they had already chosen their Mission that ALU requires. ) I also find that when I was in conversation with these three students, as well as when I am reading the essays that students have written on their learning here, I think about way Senator Aloisea Inyumba described how Rwanda women were all “products of the grassroots women” who are the ancestors who remind us all that women are a “positive force” in nationhood. In these conversations today it is a powerful acknowledgement that the legacy of Inyumba and so many other women leaders in this country is reflected in the learning and ambitions of the students at MGS.

 

“Among the Ibo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten.”
― Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart

 

Linda V Beardsley

Extending the MGS Vision

 

Friday

June 23, 2023

 

 

Sister Laetitia wanted Joni and me to visit the new Residence for Retired Benebikira Sisters that has been built in the Kabuga section of Kigali. Sister Laetitia is truly concerned with the ideal of life long learning. She is concerned that the Sisters who have given so much to the youth and villages of this country be able to have a retirement that includes opportunities to enjoy activities that include hand work, exercise and  interaction with younger generations. She truly believes that there must be activities they can accomplish regardless of their physical frailty.

 

Sister Marta, who used to work with many of the current retirees in a previous facility, accompanied us on the drive to Kabuga. The Kabuga section of Kigall is busy. The road leading to the center is lined with industrial buildings that are part of the economic development zone of manufacturing . There is a bustling market section that leads to the Residence. the Residence is a collection of apartments, a heath center, a church and small chapel as well as outdoor common spaces and a series of gardens and neat walkways. It feels like a place of serenity compared to the activity beyond its gates.

 

Our first stop was to visit Sister Ann, who along with Senator Aloisea Inyumba began the initiative that brought the Boston women together to build the school for girls that the Senator envisioned. Sister Ann, who had been a visitor in Save with the Benebikiras in recent years is now living in the Retirement Residence. Joni and I spent 2 hours in conversation with Sister. For Joni it was a wonderful opportunity to hear Sister Ann’s recounting of the Women Waging Peace Conference at the Harvard Kennedy School where the women from Rwanda met the women from Boston. (Of course, I never tire of hearing the story of the first years of the quest to build a school in Rwanda and the beginnings of the Maranyundo Initiative!) Sister Ann is generous in her sharing of the history and very thoughtful about the current state of the school and the promising future it has to continue to promote girls STEM education in the region.

 

After visiting with Sister Ann, the Benebikira Sisters invited us to their dining hall to share lunch. They welcomed us warmly as we entered the room. We went around the table greeting each Sister, including two of the residents who are over 100 years old! They appeared spirited and comfortable greeting us and sharing conversation and a meal.

 

 

The headmistress asked the residents to indicate what they enjoy dong during the day.

We learned about the activities in which many of the elderly Sisters are involved:

helping prepare meals by preparing vegetables, exercise sessions, crocheting, sharing stories  

singing and music. The Sisters expressed interest in these and other craft and social activities. It was clear to me that these Sisters have much to offer each other as well as to others.

 

As a result of our visit, Joni and I  suggested  to Sister Laetitia  a project that could provide joy and accomplishment to the Sisters. We are suggesting that a Maker Space be developed at the Sisters’ retirement home. This could be an area in a common space and/or materials on a cart that can be accessed in inside and outside spaces in which the Sisters spend their time. We are suggesting that this Maker Space can be designated as a space that the Sisters can spend time “making” using yarn, crochet hooks, knitting needles, thread, beads, etc. These activities build upon the Sisters’ interests and talents and serve as opportunities for engagement and social connections.

 

“Making” is an activity involving design and construction of products that are meaningful to the individual. For the Sisters, activities that are meaningful, enjoyable and benefit their mind and body would be helpful. Sometimes these activities may be a comfort because they reflect personal experiences in their past. At other times, these activities may provide a novel experience to stimulate their interests in something new. Research in learning by making underscores the power that providing opportunities for intertest-driven activities to maintain mental and physical strength.

 

A Maker Space at this Residence could also provide opportunities for intergenerational collaboration which can provide many beneficial outcomes for people of all ages. Inter-generational activities allow older and younger people to feel cared for and valued. Research shows that inter-generational programs increase feelings of well-being for older and younger people. Friendships between older and younger people make communities stronger. Playful learning and “making” creates these multi-generational opportunities. Joni and I suggested to Sister Laetitia that a Pilot Program could be started  in inter-generational “making.” This could begin with developing a partnership between the Retirement Home and MGS. Several clubs (i.e. Art & Design, Entrepreneurial, Sports, Choir, Writing, and Maker Space, et al) at MGS could be identified to help develop this project with the Sisters at RH.

 

Joni and I summed up our Kabuga outing to Sister Laetitia with this conclusion in our report:

“As the Rwandan education community is beginning to learn about the advantages of Making in educational settings, one important group of makers and learners that should join this movement is the elderly people in our communities. We have seen that young people learn and enjoy new pursuits while working together in Maker Spaces. Intergenerational projects have been shown to help make communities stronger. We believe that finding ways for the Retired Benebikira Sisters to enjoy making and sharing this process with younger people will continue the strong community building that is the essence of the Benebikira Order.”

 

I certainly don’t pretend to know if Aloisea Inyumba and Sister Ann envisioned the girls school in Nyamata having an influence on the retirement of Benebikira Sisters. But surely the vision that became the Maranyundo Girls School was dedicated to creating community and lifelong learners. A Maker Space at Kabuga can extend that vision to these noble, gracious women.

 

Linda V Beardsley

 

 

 

Declaring a Mission and a Major

 

Wednesday

June 21, 2023

 

 

On Monday when we were in Kigali with Sister Laetitia, she wanted Joni and me to have a chance to catch up with Leslie ISARO. Those of you who have followed this blog will recognize Leslie’s name. She graduated from MGS in  2021. This is what I wrote about Leslie on December 11, 2022 when she visited us in the Residence.

 

Leslie is a 2021 graduate of MGS.  Leslie had been the Maker Space Prefect on campus. She told a wonderful story of watching the first days of the Maker Space and wondering if it was a space for her. She said, “I was not doing well in my classes then. But once I began working in the Maker Space and I began to understand the elements of making robotics, my grades improved dramatically. I suddenly saw why I had to learn math, what scientific principles were important. Making robots made my learning make sense.”

 Leslie is currently working with a group called Rwandan Water Access. Run by a woman, the business provides water at reasonable rates to needy families. She is applying to college for engineering.  She wants to continue to work with students in the Maker Space. She even went to the robotics competition on Saturday to cheer on the team that won first place…her current MGS, 

S5 and S6 colleagues.

 

Sister contacted Leslie and we arranged to meet in a lovely dining area of the hotel in Kigali that is run by the archdiocese of Kigali. The profits of this charming space are used to fund projects for the Catholic congregations.

 

Catching up with Leslie meant asking her about her decision to attend the African Leadership University which has a site in Kigali. She had been accepted early in 2023 and had just began her studies in a semester that began in May. She was very happy with her choice of university experience. She described why ALU appealed to her after her MGS and internship experiences.

The founder of ALU is Fred Swaniker. Mr. Swaniker (you can catch him on TEDTalks and YouTube) experienced his youth being constantly uprooted with his family to escape political turmoil. Born in Ghana, by the time he was ready for university studies, he had lived in 10 African countries. He went to Macalester College in the US, earning a degree in economics. He came back to his home in Botswana, taught and became Headmaster of a school where he came to believe in the power of education to create leaders who would stabilize Africa. He earned an MBA at Stanford and began his work to inspire young people to devote their talents and promise to building a strong Africa. 

 

One of the aspects of ALU that attracted Leslie was the way the school asks students to declare a Mission as well as a Major. I found this fascinating. Leslie was spending the first term of her studies learning about her continent. She is learning about the 7 great challenges that African nations face (urbanization, education infrastructure, healthcare, climate change., governance, job creation),and how the 54 nations are facing these challenges. She said that she was excited to be learning more about all of Africa and how Rwanda’s challenges are also reflected in the challenges other nations are facing.

 

She is also learning about the 7 great opportunities that problem solving in these challenges, can create: Agriculture; natural resources; Arts, culture, and design;

Tourism; Women empowerment; regional integration; wildlife conservation. The purpose of beginning their studies learning of these challenges and opportunities is to encourage students to declare a Mission, an area in which they want to work and use their knowledge. For Leslie, her internship with Water Access Rwanda has made her want to have working in water resources for Rwandans as her mission. As Mr. Swaniker believes, a university education would inspire you to find a purpose for your life, a Mission in which you can use your knowledge to create a strong nation.

 

Leslie explained that once a student at ALU has chosen a Mission, the academic portion of their studies begins. There are two degrees offered at ALU: BS in Entrepreneurial Leadership and BS in Software Engineering. From her experiences with the Maker Space, and her internship, she wants to pursue the BSE and learn how computer engineering can contribute to her career in Water Resource Management. How it can contribute to her becoming a leader in the field.

As Leslie spoke with us, it was easy to see her commitment, her excitement. Declaring a Mission as well as a Major appealed to what she had learned about learning in the Maker Space at MGS. For Leslie, she needs to know that what she is learning in the academic sphere makes sense in the practical sphere. She is adamant that what she pursues academically has a practical application in the real world. It can help her solve a challenge that impacts the quality of life. As she spoke, I was reminded of this quote from Mike Rose in Why School?

 

“A good education helps us make sense of the world and find our way in it. “

 

There is no doubt that higher education in the USA is under scrutiny from many vantage points. Even as we await the Supreme Court decision on Affirmative Action, there are many issues that need discussion across all institutions. What is the value of the traditional college education? What is it worth? What are the majors that promise a good salary? Perhaps we should carefully consider what has attracted Leslie to ALU. What would it mean if all post-secondary education challenged our youth to declare a Mission as well as a Major? As described in the ALU website, this approach asks students to “discover your life’s purpose and align your learning with this purpose.”

 

Or as Mike Rose reminds us: “A good education helps us make sense of the world and find our way in it. “

 

Linda V Beardsley

Preparing for Exams as Community Building

 

 

 Monday

June 19, 2023

 

I think I shall be thinking about the events and conversations of this first day of the work week at MGS for a very long time. I will remember the warm, sultry weather, the ride to Kigali and seeing the bustle of Nyamata, the traffic jams in the city, the pleasant conversation along the way. I will remember it all for its richness, the way it seeps into my understanding of education, changing ever so quietly my understanding of its meaning to our future. So I won’t be able to capture it all here, in this entry. But, believe me, there will be more to say!

 

For me, the conversations one can have on the road to Kigali are always terrific. This trip, Sister Laetitia told us about how she has set up the study routine to prepare the girls for their exams. (Which begin tomorrow!) She described what she calls the “importance of studying with discussion.” The study time from 6:00 – 7:00 is “silent prep.” The students read quietly or do the exercises or work sheets their teachers have provided. The students have a meal. Then from 7:30 – 8:30 the students have “discussion based prep.” They can ask questions of one another about a tricky math problem, a complicated biology unit, a vocabulary word that is new to them. Students who understand a concept seek out and help a student who needs more information. For Sister, this discussion prep is essential. Not only to help all the girls do well on exams, but to underscore the idea that we are educated together, to be a community, to help one another. Learning is not a competitive sport; it is a time to share, to take responsibility not only for our own achievement, but to contribute to the learning of others. 

 

A Rwandan ideal of education. Different than our Western notion of education as an individual achievement alone. Respect, Responsibility and Leadership in action preparing for exams!

 

SOLA

 

My former student, Ellie Murphy (Tufts IR, 2022), is currently teaching at the SOLA School in Kigali. Rwanda was a nation that invited Afghan girls who could not continue their education under the Taliban to continue to study in Rwanda. SOLA, (the School of Leadership for Afghanistan) accepted the invitation. The founder,  Shabana Basij-Rasikh, met with Sister Laetitia twice before deciding to accept President Kagame’s invitation.

 

At the SOLA gate. Ellie met us and took us through the site. Throughout the tour we met students who were studying for their exams in outdoor spaces and the library. They seemed happy, proud of their opportunity to study and learn.

 

It is hard to truly grasp what this learning space means from my Western, privileged perspective. On one side of the building there is a mural a local artist helped the girls design. It is a woman in traditional Afghan dress, dancing , free, joyful. Above her head are butterflies, fluttering and free, in the colors of the Rwandan flag. One of the classic Ira Shor chapters I read each year before classes begin  is Education Is Politics. Reading it this morning, I found this passage:

 

“No curriculum can be neutral. All forms of education are political because they can enable or inhibit the questioning habits of students, thus developing or disabling their critical relation to knowledge, schooling and society…”

 

Written in 1994, I assume Shor did not have the Taliban treatment of girls education in mind. (Although Joni and I watched Charlie Wilson’s War on Netflix last night which shows the US covert involvement in Afghanistan  began in the 1970s. Charlie wanted money to build a school after the Russians left but Congress did not agree.). But the idea that education and politics, two very powerful influences on our identity as nations, are inextricably connected. 

Today I visited SOLA and saw girls pursuing learning in exile. I wonder if there is a cautionary tale there for me, for all of us, now and in the future…

Linda V Beardsley