Dignitas Project Blog

This week, we are working with upper primary teachers and training them on the Reading to Learn methodology. The morning started out with Program Assistant Rose Kavuli discussing expectations and norms with attendees. Teachers talked about what they want out of the training, and a timetable was agreed upon.

Instructional Coach Ann Waihura then took over with a brief explanation of the Reading to Learn methodology and the importance of being properly trained in it.

If a child cannot read, then a child cannot learn. If a child learns to read, then all subjects improve- social studies, English, Kiswahili, science, and even mathematics. When a child cannot read, then a child cannot solve math problems. There are questions like, ‘Mama Ann went to the store…’. A child cannot work out the problem if he or she cannot read.

Ann Waihura, instructional coach for Dignitas Project, introduces the Reading to Learn training to 15 teachers who are here for the week.

Rosemary, the city education officer, then took over, discussing the performance of schools in various subject areas and providing an overview of current approaches to teaching English, Kiswahili, science, and social studies in upper primary grades.

The teachers seem eager and ready to learn, and we are looking forward to an exciting week with lots of learning ahead of us!

The Dignitas Project team got a special surprise today when a poem from one of our partner schools, NECI, was dropped off at the office. NECI was a partner school in 2011 and the team is thrilled to continue the partnership into 2012.

Working in Mathare with low-resource schools, our day to day can often be exhausting and difficult, but we continue to be proud of and motivated by the incredible teachers we’re privileged to partner with and by the impact we’re slowly seeing. The poem was a wonderful highlight to the day:

APPRECIATION

1. The NECI staff enjoys lesson.

The lessons they used to teach in crisis, presently, they teach in groups and discussions.

All this in the name of dignitas project.

 

2. The techniques they implore and apply.

They are of high skills and level.

The techniques that easen and simplify.

All this in the name of dignitas project

 

3. The display of the educational charts,

The teaching materials of express magazines,

The well painted black walls.

All this in the name of dignitas project.

 

4. More so, the entanglement of the pupils.

The entanglement of guardians and parents,

And the entanglement of the community as influencers

Truly have brought tremendous improvement in all.

 

5. In conclusion, look at the good storage facilities,

In addition, look at the good stationaries,

In all, the reading and writing materials

All this in the name of dignitas project.

 

Lastly, on behalf of NECI staff and S.M.C. may I say that any further support is ceremoniously welcomed.

 

Thank you

In the end, it’s really us here at Dignitas that must thank NECI. We’re truly inspired and grateful to be learning from and working with schools that are meeting the needs of children all over Mathare, working to create a better future for the community.

Students from NECI excitedly pose for the camera

A week ago, fire and disaster swept the Sinai slum. Over 100 were reported dead. Here at the Dignitas office, everyone was on their phones calling loved ones and friends. First, we heard that there was a bad fire in the industrial area. Then more specifically, the slum of Lunga Lunga. Finally, word came through social networks news outlets that the fire was in Sinai.

An oil spill had entered through the sewers of Sinai. This fuel came through leaky pipelines run by the Kenya Pipeline Company. As happened two years ago in February 2009 during a tragic oil tanker fire, those in the surrounding area came to collect free fuel. While the exact cause of the fire has not yet been identified, there has been speculation that the fire was caused either by a cigarette or by garbage fires that are commonly burned in the city.

Regardless, the very fact that this oil spill occurred in a slum already placed Sinai at greater risk. Fires in slums are very common, given the number of open fires, the proximity of homes, and the fact that homes are easily flammable. Given how densely packed slums tend to be and the general lack of opportunity for jobs, it’s unsurprising that so many people came to collect fuel for the opportunity to sell later on.

To me, the real tragedy of this situation is that there are so many factors that could have been avoided. With better pipeline maintenance and infrastructure, the oil leakage would not have occurred. With more economic opportunity for residents, perhaps there would have been less of a rush for free fuel. Better housing would have prevented homes from being placed right next to sewers, therefore decreasing the number of casualties.

And of course, perhaps saddest are the young lives that were taken in this fire. For there is not only a lack of economic opportunity in slums, but also a lack of educational opportunity. The fire occurred during school hours, but there were many children in the area, not in school at the time, who perished.

There are a lot of lessons to be learned from Sinai. For me the question is, “What can we do to keep this from happening again?” This is why it is important to work with the community to create better opportunity and access. If there’s anything that Sinai showed us, it’s the injustice and inequality that can exist, and that we need to do something to change it.

What is Leadership?

Leadership is an incredibly difficult skill to learn, gain, and internalize. Sometimes it means stepping aside and letting others voice their opinions and ideas, then bringing people together in a collaborative manner. Other times, it means not letting your ego get the best of you and keeping calm and focused in times of stress.

This is something we spent a lot of time at the Dignitas Project Leadership Institute thinking and talking about. Our leaders differ across gender, tribe, educational background, and more. They come in the form of parents, school management committee members, young new teachers, old seasoned veteran teachers, and everything in between. They all have one thing in common, though- passion and hope of a better future for the children of Mathare.

Team Building Day

One of the turning points of Leadership Institute came the day of our team building day at Idyllic Mistley Guest House. Here, attendees and staff were exposed to problem-solving and group-building exercises. These included a tarp exercise and a marble activity.

Nearly 40 attendees were put on a canvas tarp with the task of flipping the tarp over completely. The catch? No one could set foot on the grass. Chaos ensued, with people shouting over one another. One of the facilitators had to intervene to show us what to do. Can you figure out the solution?

We were also split into two teams, the Guavas and Cabbages. Each team had the task of bringing data from “Kisumu” (a random spot marked in the grass for the Guavas) or “Mombasa” (another random spot marked in the grass for the Cabbages) to “Nairobi”, a bucket that was an equal distance from both Kisumu and Mombasa. Both teams were bringing data for Dignitas Project. The data came in the form of a single marble for each team that had to travel to Nairobi by use of curved wooden pieces.

Outcomes

So what happened in both of these activities? Let’s start with the tarp activity.

The Tarp Activity

As soon as we were placed on the tarp, the loudest in the group began pulling the tarp up straight, folding it in half. While this clearly wasn’t the correct solution (we were a large enough group that had the tarp been reduced to half its size, there’s no way we would have fit on it), the few overpowered the many and persisted in carrying about the activity this way. Chaos broke out as people started shouting over one another, proposing ideas with no one listening.

Eventually G, one of the facilitators, came over and gave us advice. Slowly, as everyone quieted down, we began to fold a tiny corner of the tarp over so that a small triangle of the bottom was exposed and someone could step on it. We slowly moved by making the triangle larger and larger so one by one, each of us could move over to step on the reverse side.

During reflection after the activity G pointed to Caleb, a school management committee member, and said, “This man here was on the right track. He was demonstrating a strategy that could have worked. Yet none of you listened to him. Why?”

He continued. “Sometimes we dismiss people and ignore them because we don’t think they have anything worth saying, but in the process we miss valuable ideas. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to pay attention to these people and give them a chance to speak. Did you do that?”

The Marble Activity

This was another activity where members of each team began by shouting over one another. Pressures mounted as team members argued about strategy and immediately lined themselves up to begin movement. As the marble slowly (and sometimes, not so slowly) moved from wooden piece to wooden piece, each person who received it was bombarded by shouts of advice and a loud cacophony.

On both teams, those who dropped the marble were yelled at but no advice was given. The previous person in charge of handing the marble off to that person did not consider what they could have done to make the delivery smoother. Everyone was pointing fingers at one another rather than sharing strategies and tips.

Eventually, both teams quieted down as one or two people led the charge. After several failed attempts the Cabbages reached “Nairobi” successfully, running out on the field in triumph and relief.

G stood by quietly, allowing the Cabbages to celebrate their victory. Then he gathered us all in a group and calmly said, “Who won?”

“The Cabbages!” Someone shouted, igniting another flurry of cheers.

Desperate to have themselves heard, members of the Guavas shouted, “The Guavas!”

“No. Who won?” G stood facing us, back straight and hands clasped behind him. He wasn’t smiling.

“What was the mission? To get information from Kisumu to Nairobi, and from Mombasa to Nairobi. For Dignitas Project. Both of you were working to help Dignitas get information. When the Cabbages delivered their information, did anyone think to go help the Guavas? Do you think that if we had worked together, we could have completed this activity much sooner?”

Silence.

“No one won,” G tells us.

Lessons Learned

The team building exercises were lessons in humility, communication, and collaboration. Oftentimes, the loudest and most visible leaders of the group were the ones who kept these activities from moving forward while the quiet ones with valuable contributions were ignored and remained unheard. As a whole, we were constantly jumping into action without planning or discussion.

Leaders often feel pressure to jump into action right away, and forget to stop and reflect, solicit and share opinions, or plan. Though these were simple, outdoor activities, they were certainly indicative of many of the issues that our teachers in Mathare face given the lack of resources and pressure to spring into action. Our day at Idyllic Mistley Guest House was a microcosm of what teachers and leaders encounter everyday, highlighted their shortcomings and potential for growth, and taught all of us valuable lessons about leadership.

Photo Credit: Karibu Nyaggah

Ever wonder what goes on in a normal day at the office? As I like to tell people, there is really no “typical” day, but here’s a glimpse of the past week.

Program Associate Rose Kavuli introducing the caregivers training to parents and teachers from primary schools in Mathare.

Our amazing facilitator speaking at the caregivers training.

Program Associate Eugenia Lee and Program Assistant Rose Kavuli chatting during a break.

A re-energizing exercise for heads and deputy heads at the head teacher training last week!

Office Assistant Gloria Omuya at her usual perch in the front office

Rose handing books to head teachers after the training has completed

Sports equipment we’re giving to schools as a part of our Wezesha Fund programme

Instructional coach Ann Waihura gives out materials after a review meeting on the reading to learn training we held a month ago

Our trusty accountant Amos Mwaura and Field Assistant Vincent Macharia are hard at work as usual!

Vincent hands off some sports equipment to a teacher from St. James as a part of the Wezesha Fund programme.

Our beloved askari (guard), Makori, is also a big part of the Dignitas family

Amos and Vincent oversee sports equipment that will be distributed to schools

Though we work hard and take what we do seriously, we at Dignitas like to have fun too. Here we are on a break, having a hula hoop contest!

“Education is the key to success.”

This is a quote that has been repeated in many parts of the world. But could this be true when uttered to a child in Mathare who sees not even a glimpse of light from the life ahead? These words contributed in making my education a channel of hope through which I looked to help my family.

I recall my first day of joining primary school as if it were two days ago. This is because of the joint efforts of the community members and my mum prepared me to face the school life with a positive mind. There was a constant urgency and belief that school was the only way one could make a way out of poverty.

I went to school in Mathare and just like children anywhere, school life was normal. Despite challenges like lack of teacher teaching and learning aids in school, and poor sanitation and poverty that surrounded the school’s vicinity, there was assurance of a great future for those who put effort into their education. Dedicated teachers and a few community members who supported education by offering extra tuition classes and coaching programs in areas of talent after school motivated me throughout my journey.  I was in the drama club of my school and we did dances that allowed us to travel and meet students from other parts of the country who came from more privileged backgrounds. This acted as the first point of exposure to differences as we exchanged ideas on the school environment and compared so many things.

For the little girl from Mathare who was probably the most talkative in my class then, it was difficult at times to start conversations but I had to do it to maintain my promise to myself to not be shaken as far as interactions were concerned. For the rest of my schoolmates who were not involved in activities of any kind, it was difficult for them to interact with visitors who visited our school or with other students when there were interschool competitions. This clearly highlights what exposure can contribute to someone’s life even from the early years. The biggest issue I have noted about education in Mathare is a lack of exposure to different ideas. I believe I was fortunate to have attended a government school and had an opportunity to be taught by trained and exposed teachers.

For a child struggling at home and who viewed school as the only place she could strive to be whatever she wanted, did the teachers really add value? Whether trained or not, a teacher can really contribute in the development of a student. There were a few teachers that helped me discover my talents. They were my role models. Their encouragement and affirmation combined to make my school a second home where i was confident that we would all reap whatever we were planting. In every life, there is a life coach who stands out and has a meaningful impact. My life coaches are mostly teachers and community members who made a difference in my life.

Why do I keep talking about community members who made education possible for me, the young girl? The community plays a big part in either shaping a person or contributing to their fall. The community will back the tireless efforts of a teacher who has already started yielding the fruits of education. When a child learns discipline and skills in school, the community comes to believe in the child and begins to set expectations and provide moral support in his or her development. The community acts as the reinforcement of what teachers deliver at the school level.

Having been schooled in and grown up in Mathare, I give credit to the teachers and the community members who are committed to making a difference in the education of children. This little girl is now working towards facilitating a change in the education of Mathare children and aiding dignity for the marginalized in her own community today.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

Born and raised in Mathare, Rose Kavuli has a deep passion for facilitating positive change in her own community. In her position as the program assistant, Rose supports implementation and field activities with school partners. Her goal is to impart and influence all spheres within her reach and contribute in the restoration of dignity in poor communities

I remember the first time I heard the concept of single mothers in a slum sending their children to private schools – I was twenty years old, and studying HIV-positive women entrepreneurs in Kibera. As I sat with a woman discussing her monthly spending, she told me she spent around 4000 shillings (~$45 USD) on school tuition for one child a year. In a place where most residents earn less than $1 USD a day, this is an enormous sum.

“With so little money, why in the world would she not send her children to the free public schools?” I thought to myself in dismay.

Little did I realize that for many children in other countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, China, and India, private schools symbolize a chance out of poverty and into better lives.

In 2003, Kenya launched its Free Primary Education (FPE) Programme. Enrolment shot up rapidly as many touted it as a step toward a better future for Kenya. However, free primary education created new problems that were not addressed in advance of such an ambitious endeavor. With a high influx of pupils came congested classrooms and an inability to meet the need of every individual seeking out an education. Quality fell as eager children flooded schools. As a response, private, low-cost schools were created by community members to meet the growing demand for education. These schools can be found all over slums in Nairobi, including Mathare Valley.

Mathare Valley is the second largest slum in Nairobi and has an estimated population of 600,000 people. Imagine the city of Boston squeezed into a space 1/30^th of its size and you get Mathare. There are just three free government primary schools educating 3,000 children. If we estimate that half the population is children, then Mathare has 300,000 children. Where are the other 297,000 children going to school?

Over 18,000 of these children attend low-cost community schools in Mathare. Many of these schools face the same issues that government schools do such as overcrowding, lack of facilities and teachers, and more. However, these low-cost private schools do not have access to the same funding and resources that government schools have. Teachers are paid significantly less, and the sums parents pay must cover all of the school’s operational expenses such as rent and salaries. Despite all the odds being against them, a substantial number of these schools remarkably outperform government schools in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), the standardized exam that students in Standard 8 take to move on to secondary school. There is so much potential in these schools, but little is done to support them.

We always talk about educating women and children, yet we never talk about the quality of education they’re receiving. Why?

Dignitas Project, an education non-profit based in Mathare Valley, seeks to improve education quality by developing school and community-based leaders.  We recruit teachers, principals, and emerging community leaders into our leadership institute program, a 1-year partnership where they are provided on-site support, professional development, technical assistance, and coaching. In addition, these leaders undergo an intensive three-week training where they grapple with ethics, how to invest students and families in the learning process, and develop a strong sense of agency, understanding that what they do matters. We attempt to build upon the talents that already exist in the community. In order to have a real, long-lasting, sustainable impact, we believe that the community needs to meaningfully engage in making change.

All parents seek to equip their children for a better future. To many in Mathare, these low-cost community schools symbolize hope and a chance for dignity through education.

Eugenia Lee, Dignitas Project Program Associate, is a recent graduate of Tufts University with a passion for education, social entrepreneurship, and alleviating urban poverty. She has studied HIV-positive women in Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya, home-based businesses in Dharavi in Mumbai, India, and conducted a school mapping project for Dignitas Project in 2010. She has experience in community and grassroots organizing, researching various issues in informal settlements, and believes strongly in Dignitas Project’s mission of developing teachers and leaders of the Mathare Valley community.