Savannah- The Universal Joy of Reading

I just wanted to put up a quick post to let you all know how much the students here are excited about the library. School is not currently is session, but students spend time at the school playing, talking, and some of the sixth graders are studying for the national exam that will allow them to proceed to secondary school if they pass. Naturally, the students are very curious about what we are doing in the library. At the moment, Emanuel (the Rwandan librarian), Michael (the American school librarian), and I are spending much of the day labeling and organizing books so that the library can be most effectively used. We leave the large windows open to enjoy the fresh air, and today many students were gathered around the windows looking in. It finally occurred to us that they were waiting on an invitation to come in so we asked them to join us. Around 15 to 20 students streamed in and chose books to read in the large open space in the library. Either alone or in small groups, they excitedly enjoyed books about becoming a teacher, books about animals, and atlases (I showed them where I'm from and where the IEE is based.) among many others. It may seem small, but for me it was heartwarming witnessing the simple reality that kids everywhere love books.

Savannah- Teaching People to Fish

Michael Clark is the school librarian who is helping us structure and organize the library at the Kagugu School and he is doing an amazing job. Today I helped put colored dots on the spines of books according to the classification system he has created. While I was doing that in the open space of the library, several students wandered in and sat not far from me. I asked them if they would like to come over and look through the books I had finished marking. They accepted my invitation eagerly, and about five or six of them sat on benches near me reading English books all centered on the theme of HIV/AIDS education. After a while we began talking again, and I found out they are actually attend secondary schools nearby. They asked me many questions about myself, but eventually they got to the point and they made sure I didn’t miss it. They want pen pals from the U.S. A. I was a bit taken aback when I they asked for this so specifically and repeatedly. I assumed that had heard that I work with the IEE and we set up pen pals. Surprisingly, they hadn’t heard anything about it. This was simply what they wanted. In conjunction with that request, like most students here, they want me to teach them English. To learn English and to use it to speak to students in other countries is a repeated request of Rwandans. I’m excited to be able to give them what they want.

During our conversation something else interesting came up. I was asking what each of them wanted to do for their careers. One wanted to be a doctor, one wanted to simply travel to other countries, and one want to work in the financial sector. They asked me if all of that was possible for them, and I was glad to be able to say honestly that I believe they can do that in Rwanda today if they are willing to work hard. One student spoke up and said that when he finishes his education he wants to help poor people. “How?” I asked. They all laughed at my question at first. “By giving them food because they are hungry,” he replied. “Is that the best way to help poor people?” I prodded. “Yes,” he answered confidently. I disagree with him. To make my point I told him to proverb about teaching a man to fish versus giving him a fish (“If you give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime.”) When I finished speaking they erupted in conversation and something like a cheer saying, “Yes! Yes! That is good.” I told them that that is the vision of the IEE. Although the need at Kagugu is not food, we are trying to educate people so that they are able to help themselves and are not dependent upon the aid of others. They clearly saw my point and to encourage me they chose to repeat the English slogan that Nike gave to the world. “Just do it!” they repeated. I couldn’t help but smile and laugh. We all parted ways with promises to see each other tomorrow when I am going to read them some books in English as requested. Thanks to everyone who makes this possible. The thrill of getting people what they need to help themselves is wonderfully exciting.

Savannah- Seeing For My Own Eyes

In a packed out Mitsubishi 4x4 full of muzungus cruising with the windows down on a road outside of Kigali I realized this is it for me. I love this. Being in a new place, meeting new people, trying new things, making new mistakes, finding new solutions- all of it. This feeling of growth and learning is familiar to me. I think it's what I thrive on.

The views down in the valleys outside of Kigali were amazing as we made the 30 min. drive to a small town named Nyarama. The hillsides are full of banana groves and at the top of each hill you have sweeping views of the patchwork farms below. The nicely paved street was lined with people walking and riding bikes to and from who knows where. Most often they are either carrying any number of things on their head or pushing a bike or wheel barrel loaded down with goods.

We were on our way to visit a church where 5,000 people were massacred over the course of five days during the genocide. Inside the church, the clothes of the victims have been piled on pews. Below ground there are three crypts where the bones of 50,000 victims who were killed in the area just around the church are kept on large shelves 6 feet deep and continuing well over my head. I was surprised that my emotion when descending the steep, concrete steps into the crypt was fear. I don't think I have ever been in such close contact with so much death. I was somewhat forcing myself to slowly take the next step forward where I knew I would see more remains. It would be physically possible to reach out and pick up a skull. No glass separates them from you. In fact, they are so close to you on either side that you have to be careful not to accidentally touch them. Real human remains. Once real people. This was the first time there was no glass between me and that reality. No book, no Hollywood lens, just the remains of real people like me who might have loved to travel, and eat lots of vegetables, and cook with their family. It sounds a bit cliche as I write this now, but there was nothing cliche about the reality of what I saw today.

What's so amazing about this country is how it has taken that sadness and loss and turned it into such positive energy and potential. I am so excited about the things happening at Kagugu. I had a wonderful meeting with the Headmistress and Prefect of Studies on Monday. They are so excited and eager to develop new plans to help their students. We all agreed that if we have a true collaboration and exchange of ideas, together we find ways to help Kagugu excel.

The Rwandese teachers at Kagugu have proven to be our greatest resource. Their enthusiasm to learn has been overwhelming and inspiring. I was shocked to learn on Monday that the monthly salary for the teachers at Kagugu is 23,000 RWF. That's approximately $46 per month, $552 per year and about $1.50 per day. It's reasonable to suspect that prices are lower here and therefore that is a livable wage, but actually a sack of rice (50 kilos) is about 30,000 RWF. They aren't even paid a sack of rice a month, and still they are showing up during their summer vacation in order to learn English and new teaching methods. Wow!

I've learned so much since I arrived not quite one week ago, but there are still many questions to be asked and ideas to be explored. I'm looking forward to several upcoming meetings that will hopefully give me a more clear understanding of how the IEE can fit into the government's plan for Rwanda. The people of Rwanda are determined to pull themselves up and never again be victims of genocide. It's exciting to be here and be a part of their wonderful optimism and energy!

Savannah Keith

I am a graduate of the University of Mississippi with majors in French and International Studies. Because I believe the richness of the
culture and beauty of the people have much to teach me, I am eager to get involved in all the wonderful things going on in Rwanda. Primarily, I seek to learn how to slow down and enjoy to the present moment more fully. Living six months in Lyon, France, traveling across much of France, and recently nannying for four children in Greenwich, Connecticut have taught me that through the world people are more similar than different, and there is always something new to be learned. My goal as Country Director of Rwanda is to become knowledgeable about the education system in Rwanda and find ways that the IEE's resources can be helpful to Rwandans who are already doing so much to improve their country.

IEE Rwanda Projects Coordinator

Wilson B. Kagabo

Journalist, Translator, Engineer

I am called Wilson B. Kagabo. I was born on July 27, 1982 in Luwero, Uganda. I attended my Primary Education in Uganda at Hima Primary School. My family returned to Rwanda after the 1994 genocide. I continued my schooling here in Kigali.

Between 1999 and 2002, I studied Math-Physics Option at Kigali International Academy. Since then I served as; journalist with Rwanda Voice and The New Times, interpreter and translator, Tutorial Assistant at KIST and International Education Exchange Rwanda Projects Coordinator. In 2008, I graduated from Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) with a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering. I am married to Jackie Dusabe and we live in Kigali, Rwanda.

Greetings From The Field!

Brad Perrine
IEE Director Field Operations

I arrived in Kigali, Rwanda on May 26th, 2008. My job? To “set up shop” for the IEE Teacher Training Program. This entailed the usual relocation requirements including renting a house, buying a vehicle, setting up a bank account and a host of other chores. A challenging, yet straight forward set of initiatives. Armed with the natural excitement of a world traveler and the western-style organizational tactics of an educated American, I set out to make IEE a well-oiled, local Rwandan machine. Now, if only I could get out of the airport.

I realize that I am not the first person to watch a luggage carousel stop revolving. As countless air travelers can attest, if you’re empty handed when the laps have finished, you stand alone with only the demoralizing realization that your horse wasn’t even in the race. Somewhere along my 3 flight / 40 hour route to Rwanda, “Baggage Claim” had, in fact, claimed my baggage. The crushing disappointment was compounded by the fact that the missing bag was actually a 70 lb. box of school supplies headed to needy school children and not my expendable knapsack filled with sunscreen, socks and Tylenol. All I could do was fill out the proper forms and wait ‘til the travel gods were done borrowing our stuff.

Undeterred, I pressed on…but not alone. Wilson B. Kagabo, IEE’s indispensable Director of Rwandan Affairs was there to guide me through it all. In fact, he’s been with IEE since 2006. Without his incredible work here in Kigali, none of our efforts would have been possible. Together, we set out to build the nest.

If you’ve ever been to Africa you’ll understand that NOTHING is simple. It’s almost comical. There seems to be a complete and blissful disregard for anything sensible. But as I’ve learned, this ain’t New York. It’s very, very, very far from it. “Appointment” is just another word for “Maybe I’ll see you there”. Adhering to a schedule in Rwanda is like riding a rodeo bull: You’d better be flexible and should expect to get thrown off.

Purchasing a vehicle is a process more likened to panning for gold. I had to sift through a heaping pile of crud to find something that shined. There are no dealerships here, no Auto Trader Magazines, just a bunch of dudes who let their friends know they want to sell their 1985 Ford Bronco for $15,000. Yeah that’s right, $15,000 for a vehicle that you’d only donate to charity in the States. Because there are so few cars and trucks here, owners make repairs for years to keep their wheels rollin’. I don’t think I saw an SUV with less than 150,000 miles under the hood. So we settled on the best deal I could find, an over-priced Mitsubishi Pajero. If you’ve ever ridden in one, you know they’re pretty awesome. It’s a former safari vehicle and it’s perfect for the rough roads of Africa.

I just can’t wait ‘til we get it back from the mechanic after it’s catastrophic breakdown last weekend.
If you don’t have a car and need alternative transportation here, I’ve got one, hyphenated word for you…Moto-Taxi. Kigali is filled with them. They are the best, and cheapest way to get around. Just hop on the back of one of these motorcycle cabs and the licensed driver will take you to your destination for less than two bucks on average. It’s fantastic!

Before I came to Rwanda, I knew my schedule would be quite busy and I needed to be mobile. The SUV would serve as the official IEE vehicle and primarily be used by our teaching crew to get back and forth to school. As Director of Field Operations, my responsibilities lead me in all different directions. So I took the moto-taxi thing one step further. I simply rented the whole bike, not just the back seat, from a driver for the entire summer. “Take the summer off, pal”, I said. Now I’m a fully insured Moto-Taxi driver in Kigali, Rwanda. Ha!

As you may imagine, a giant “Muzungu” (white person) driving a moto-taxi around Africa will garner some attention. Everyone stops to stare, or wave, or smile, or point, or whistle, or simply say “Muzungu, muzungu, muzungu” as I cruise by with a grin. It’s pretty hilarious. The native Rwandans have no problem gesturing toward Caucasians and saying the equivalent of “white person, white person, white person” right to our faces. It’s actually endearing. This culture has tremendous respect for foreigners and we’re treated like first class citizens. I think I speak for the whole crew over here in saying we have been welcomed into Rwandan society with open arms and bright smiles.

Which brings me to the kids. Oh, the children of Rwanda. Now, I realize that kids all over the world have a pleasant and innocent curiosity, but this is unreal. The brilliant smiles and unending energy that we witness everyday are enough to run all the moto-taxis in Rwanda for a year. All they want to do is talk to us, learn from us, play soccer with us, or touch the hair on our arms. I know, that last one’s kinda weird. Body hair isn’t very common here. Come to think of it, I’m not sure if muzungu means “white person” or “hairy arm”.

Our work at the school has been terrific. Molly, Meredith and Pat arrived in early June and have done an incredible job. Because the IEE Teacher Training Program is in it’s infancy, we are using these early days as a time of observation and identification. They have done a great job of understanding the organization’s philosophy and building a program at the Kagugu School. We are aware that we can’t change the world in a day. We can only make progress by truly understanding how foreign educational systems operate. With Wilson’s incredible guidance, we’ve set about identifying the major issues that need attention. The four of them have worked together with the teachers and students of Kagugu tirelessly and with much success. The future of this program will be built upon the early work of these four individuals.

July has brought about a new phase in our Rwandan operation. The addition of Andrew, Jane and Elisabeth has brought a new level of experience to the Teacher Training Program. During this important month, we will be focusing on the development of Kagugu’s teachers through computer literacy and extensive English instruction. We can now move ahead and furnish the Rwandan teachers with the skills to better prepare their students for success during this crucial period of Rwanda’s development.

Just take a look at the IEE photos and videos of the students here in Rwanda. The excitement contained in these kids and their eagerness to learn is something you simply don’t find in the U.S. on such a large scale. We are learning from this culture as much as we are teaching.

Through the important documentation of this project, we aim to show this organization’s transparency and accountability. Besides paying power bills and fixing flat tires, my job here in Kigali includes the photographing and filming of our efforts. This is a pure joy. We can bring our work right into your home or office. Through these videos, photos and blogs, anyone can see exactly who’s doing what, when, where and most importantly, why. IEE aims to keep it that way. Our accountability is our path to sustainability. With support from people like you and a belief in our program, we can improve the educational systems of developing countries as well as our own.

I'm Still Alive And Not In Prison

Patrick Hovey
Fairfield University Senior

Well, about twenty days in and I’ve beaten the betting pool my friends made for the amount of days I will stay alive in Africa. They included a sub clause stating that if I spent any time in a prison cell, then I would also lose.

What’s the real story of my experience so far with the IEE? There have been positives and negatives, and this being the pilot year I expected some bumps in the road. After the initial adjustments like adjusting to the slower pace of the lifestyle here, it being sunny and 75 degrees everyday, and being a celebrity among the students here, everything is going splendidly. Molly and Meredith, my co-teachers, are extremely intelligent and Meredith is one of the most travel-experienced persons I have ever encountered. They both are freshman at Cornell, and their intelligence shines through. Brad, our field director, is very gifted organizer and a well needed balance to my life here in Rwanda.

My daily life consists of school from 8-12, lunch till 3, and then class from 3-5. The children here, first graders to sixth graders, are amazing. So eager to learn, to experience everything our group has to offer. So far working with the school staff, we’ve come up with a schedule for all 3300 children. This schedule allows us to see each English class, all fifty-three of them, twice a week with bonus observation/extra work time on Fridays.

In a very short period of time, the school should have twenty brand new computers, installed with the latest Windows operating system. Software for these computers includes the usual programs like Word, and more importantly the language program, Rosetta Stone. Our corner stone to the program, to creating a sustainable program, is this language program. It’s extremely easy to use and to learn from. Also being on the computer, allows us to teach computer literacy.

Being that the week is so fulfilling, I don’t have any energy on the weekends. NOT! Well, the week of teaching is exhausting, and I’m really getting a sense of what it’s going to be like to be a full time teacher. Long days not only dealing with the headaches of trying to teach to a bunch of young kids, but dealing with the fact that the time spent with our team is the most time they have ever spent along side a white person. They always want to know your name, where you’re from, just to touch you. Basically elevating our status to that of a celebrity. Which is pretty awesome.

But, getting back to the weekend and my adventures, Brad and I have already gotten a sense how to enjoy our weekends. We met a crew of about three Rwandans who would probably fit into our groups of friends back in America. We’ve been introduced and now are unofficial members of the Rwandan Football team fan club. We’ve met the leading actress in one of the latest Rwandan movies, and were almost cast as leading actors. Ok, maybe just as extras, and I think one of us did get to grunt for the camera, so I think that constitutes a speaking roll.

So far this trip is all that I have wanted it to be. Just amazing. The country is beautiful and the people living here are incredibly special people. So until next time…

Thank You IEE!

Jane Hover
First Grade Teacher

Thank you, IEE, for the opportunity to live and work in Rwanda. I can see why Brett and Steve love it here so much, it is absolutely breath-taking. Everything from the landscape, to the generosity of the Rwandan people, to the organic food, to the country's infrastructure is remarkable. As I traverse on foot to and from school everyday, I'm always excited to happen upon a man or woman selling bananas and/or avocados which has gladly become my staple of choice. The teachers and staff at Kagugu School have welcomed us warmly. We arrived during a busy and stressful time--examination time! However, during the breaks it has given me the chance to meet and talk with teachers and to develop relationships based on the personal stuff instead of jumping head first into teaching strategies and methodology. I have had the pleasure of co-teaching with Christina (grade 2) and Christina (catch-up) using books from the library. We read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" respectively. The teachers first read the book in Kinyarwanda then I read it in English followed by a hands-on activity. Books breath life into any classroom--and the air was palpable!Our goal during our month-long stay is twofold. First, we aim to expose teachers to the variety of ways library books can be used in the classroom and to get teachers comfortable using them in their classrooms. Second, we aim to identify the needs of IEE and how each team member to meet those needs. We will be writing a proposal based on our observations, conversations, and workshops.

Some Of My Favorite Experiences

Meredith Shepard
Cornell University Sophomore

When people ask me why I first decided to come to this country, I cite my father’s reaction to the name “Rwanda”. He had said, ”Rwanda? That country must be filled with orphans.” I had a vague idea of wanting to “help” somehow, but most of all I wanted to see what a country that had gone through a civil war and genocide just thirteen years earlier would look like. After spending a month here at an orphanage for genocide and AIDS orphans, I felt that I never wanted to leave.

I was working in a country saturated with recent death, but I was living with survivors. Every time I fell into a sadness about the scars on a kid’s back, or about the bloodied clothes at a memorial, I would picture the faces of the children at the orphanage, whose smiles were even more alive because of their improbability; and I would feel safe somehow in the knowledge that no matter how deeply the world falls into darkness, there is something else resisting that fall with the tenacity of God.

Teaching at Kagugu with IEE has been an opportunity for me to exercise my love for this country and for children, particularly survivors. My goals this summer are many, but above all include my desire to create a sustainable program that does not rely upon the presence or fiscal aid of outside sources. To fully achieve this type of sustainability, I believe that it is imperative to observe, listen to, and respect the Rwandan culture itself…even the parts of it that we are trying to change.

My favorite experiences in Rwanda last year, and so far during my time with IEE this June, have been the moments when language barriers and “otherness” cease to exist, when I can relate to Rwandans as equals and as friends. As one of the Kagugu teachers said to his class about another volunteer, “Just because she is a different color doesn’t mean that she is not our sister.”

My hope is for IEE to realize that mentality as much as possible throughout its time in Rwanda, by emphasizing the concept of “exchange” and by showing the Rwandese people that we are not here just to give but to take, that we too are hungry to learn, and that we too are starved for another type of understanding.

Time in Rwanda is different. We’ve been here only three weeks now, but the IEE has already gone through a number of stages in terms of our teaching strategies at the school, how we perceive our community and the Rwandans, and how we relate to each other as volunteers.

Having lived once already in Rwanda, I was very interested in how my experience with the IEE would compare to my time here last year. Kigali, in comparison to the mountain village I lived in last year, is clean, classy and cosmopolitan. I feel safe here, and comfortable to the point of frustration…I miss the more rugged terrain of “Real Africa”. That said, coming home to this safe, clean house in a hilltop neighborhood overlooking the city is a joy and relief at the end of a long day.

As for the organization itself, the IEE is full of potential. It has accountability, long-term and realistic goals, financial and manpower support, increasing publicity, and a diverse support network. This summer, working at the grassroots level is both a challenge and a joy.

The three of us here in June are currently facing the manifestations of deeply rooted problems: teachers who cannot speak English because their own educations were limited and interrupted by the genocide, students whose priorities outside of school are based more around survival than on homework, crowded classrooms and limited supplies due to the paucity of financial support given by the government. At this point, we cannot even begin to attack the roots of these problems, but we are noting them, and in the meanwhile addressing the issues that we can make a difference with: improving teacher’s teaching methods, involving the students more in the lessons, and emphasizing English.