I’m back with another update from Tanzania, and this one I write with a huge smile on my face!

After 3 years of organizing and conducting Teacher Training for TFFT, I was recently rewarded unexpectedly! The participants from the Early Grades Literacy training surprised me in a great way with what they have accomplished since the training session.

I visited Ngarananyuki (across Arusha National Park) the other day to follow-up with the teachers who attended the training. I wanted to see them in their natural elements, so I announced my visit only a few hours before (I know, so cheeky of me!). This is the response I received from the teachers when I said I was coming: “Welcome Madam Melissa. The five of us who were trained [in the workshop] are together in the Ngarananyuki Education Office, and we are now training class 1 and 2 teachers in the area.”

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

When I got to the Ngarananyuki Ward Education Office, the 5 teachers from the workshop were there and were conducting a training session for 15 teachers! They had also conducted a training session for the Class 1 & 2 teachers. They showed me their training schedule for the week: Monday – Usa River; Tuesday – Ngarananyuki; Wednesday – Leguruki; Thursday – Kingori; Friday – Akheri; Monday – Mbuguni. 

They volunteered to lead the training, and the District Education Office gave them the some flip charts, markers, manila cards, and a bit of money so that they could move from ward to ward. There was no transport or even money for chai for the participants. They estimate their training will reach about 100 teachers. They had not told me about their plans to spread their new knowledge, so this was a total surprise for me!

I was floored by the effort. I immediately came up with a plan to support them, providing more flip charts, markers, manila cards, and paper. And to be honest, I was so touched with the effort that I gave each participant 600 shillings, so the poorer teachers could have a cup of chai and chapati after their training. I was told some had to walk as far as 7 kilometers to get to the ward education office.

Lately, I have been going through a phase of questioning the effectiveness of my program. What happened that day made me see that there is hope after all. I just have to re-strategize again, go back to the drawing board and see how to support these government teachers.

This brings me back to my plea for literacy materials and resources for teachers. Keep Books from Ohio State University seem to be a very viable option–they sell primers/early readers at as little as 25 cents, and they have promotions where 4,000 books can be had for only $500! They even have a program that for $25 kids are guaranteed 100 books to keep and bring home so that they can enjoy reading at home too. Imagine how possibly life-changing this would be for a child who usually has to share a textbook with 7 or 22 others in class! They have good teacher products too–guides on how to increase comprehension for K-2 and the like. Here is also a link for a Scholastic catalog with teaching resources. I hope interested TFFT supporters will take a look and buy for the Literacy Centers.

I am excited about the progress the Teacher Training Program is making, and I am grateful to have teachers as dedicated as the teachers I work with here. Thank you for reading and for your support!