Kigali, 5th November 2019- Naturally, my daughter lacked confidence. She was shy and fearful to the extent that she would not stand and talk to more than two people, needless to say that eye contact was so foreign to her. But after joining this project, that has completely changed and she is now confident and no longer shy– Said Mukarusanga Priscilla about her daughter Mpinganzima Lidivine. Hailing from Ruhango district, South of Rwanda, Priscilla is a mother to four children among whom Lidivine is the last born. Priscilla’s speech is at a commissioning event for Teaching Assistants, a part of activities of the Teaching Assistantships project.
The Teaching Assistantships Project is funded by Mastercard Foundation under its Leaders in Teaching (LIT) initiative in Rwanda. This project has been engaging a total of one hundred and fifty bright girls in their transitional year to tertiary education, as Teaching Assistants, supporting the learning of mathematics and science for six months, at seventy-three schools in fifteen districts in Rwanda. The project is part of Mastercard Foundation’s commitment to supporting livelihoods and opportunities for young people in Africa, particularly women, to secure dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. Particularly, under the “Recruit” pillar of the LIT initiative, Mastercard Foundation is supporting skill-nurturing, to attract passionate, young women with an interest in education to join the teaching profession. This complements ambitions of the Ministry of Education in Rwanda, to nurture a teaching force, particularly for Science, Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM), during the current Education Sector Strategic Plan period of 2018/19- 2014/25. The Teaching Assistantships Project is implemented by Inspire, Educate and Empower Rwanda (IEE).
Lidivine has been a Teaching Assistant at Groupe Scolaire Bukomero in Ruhango district, where she has been collaborating with host teachers to support teaching and learning of Chemistry.
With each passing day, I felt empowered to look people in the eyes while sharing my ideas. This was a transformation, because I had never been this confident- says Lidivine in conformation of her mothers’ testimony.
We have been impacted by this project, and this has not only been Lidvine’s transformation. From her transport allowances, she has saved some money with which we have bought a cow. I am so happy that the project has not only empowered my daughter professionally but also economically, said Priscilla.
It is part of Teaching Assistantships Project design to support Teaching Assistants with monthly transport allowances of fifty thousand Rwandan francs to facilitate their travel between schools of deployment and their homes. Evidently, Lidvine made more use of her transport allowance.
The Teaching Assistantships Project uses project content around English language for teaching, planning for teaching and teaching methodology, study strategies and personal development, gender awareness and gender responsive pedagogy, and inclusive education to facilitate ongoing trainings for Teaching Assistants.
Lidivine’ s improved confidence is no doubt a benefit of personal development drills that Teaching Assistants have been taken through during their six-months teaching assistantships. The Teaching Assistantships Project aspires to have young women like Lidivine to gain skills, values and attitudes to enable them to succeed in tertiary studies and in life.
The Teaching Assistantships Project is aimed at whole-person development of the young women equipping them with skills for livelihood and employment opportunities, particularly interesting them to take up teaching careers or consider education as area of further academic study. Reactions to this content may be addressed to: ieerwanda.directorate.org@gmail.com