African Safari

Education For All--Including the President

The International Reading Association's President, Dr. Pamela Edwards of Georgia (US), and first African American female president, charged us with looking at the Education For All (EFA)Goals for improving international education for all students.

Six internationally agreed education goals aim to meet the learning needs of all children, youth and adults by 2015.

Goal 1 - Expand early childhood care and education

Goal 2 - Provide free and compulsory primary education for all

Goal 3 - Promote learning, life skills for young people and adults

Goal 4 - Increase adult literacy by 50 per cent

Goal 5 - Achieve gender parity by 2005, gender equality by 2015

Goal 6 - Improve the quality of education

Link: http://www.unesco.org/en/efareport/

Now, we had a chance to travel with Dr. Pamela Edwards to Zanzibar, wonderful island outside of Dar es Salaam. We thought it would such an honor to spend time with a professional woman from the south who was just selected as President-Elect of such a prominent organization in education. However, her attitude and demeanor toward the people of Africa was less than digestible to say the least.

My mother told me that if I did not have anything nice to say..do not say anything at all. So, I am going to stop here.

However, I would love to meet with her again, in the future to share how her overall presence depicted a very poor outlook on the African American community and educational profession as a whole. For once, I can say I was truly embarrassed to be part of the African American community.

6th Annual Pan African Reading Conference

The 6th Pan African Reading for All Conference took place at the University of Dar es Salaam from August 10th thru the 14th. Teachers from all over the globe converged on the campus to strategize how we can create meaningful and effective opportunities for students to become more literate.

Here are some questions I took away from the workshops that I attended:
* How can you remain effective in teaching class sizes of 40, 50, or more?

* What is literacy? And how do we make it accessible to all communities globally?

* How do you educate a child that has endured severe human conflicts and still motivate them to want to learn?
* What does professional development look like for African teachers versus the rest of the globe?
* What will it take to get Africa on the same common ground, educationally, as many of the other nations?

As I spoke with many African teachers and listened to their stories, I realized that many of them wanted the government and communities to support them with parental involvement, supplying adequate textbooks and spaces for children to learn, and opportunities to empower teachers with effective practices that are appropriate for the children they serve.

One of the biggest statements or questions that I took away from my time in the conference was:

Who's Voice Are We Going to Listen To?

Our children have so many obstacles to learning. They wake up in their own experiences and fight for survival; enter our classrooms and are expected to absorb material that is foreign to their identities; and go back to their own multi-layered lives wishing that someone would take the time to just listen to who they are and what they want for their own world.

Dream Activated

I have to be honest... Before I came, I just knew that God was going to speak to me about my destiny. He has been at work for a great deal of time in my life. I came here on a mission to be opened up to what he has in store for me. I wanted to hear him. To quiet my soul just enough to find out what lies ahead for me.

I am strongly considering opening up an international school for boys (grades K thru 8). I know that Male/Boys Education is extremely important. More than ever, we are seeing males disenfranchised in the traditional classroom. We are not accomodating for the researched-based needs that they have. We label them as lazy, shiftless, or hopeless. I am a living witness that this is not a reality.

Being here, watching strong males nurture and guide tens of hundreds or thousands of minds to success and freedom made me realize that this too can happen under my watch. This is something I want to do. With God's help, this year I will travel around the country to visit schools and publish that article. (Smile @ God Mother).

Photo Gallery II: Kwala Village

Here you will see candid shots of the Kwala Village. What we consider "poor" in America has no comparison to what we saw here. However, when you think of the fact that these people may have no comparison to our daily living---they seem complacent.

I did talk to one gentleman who wants to come to America to "live the good life" and get a nice home for his family and explore the opportunities in America. How quickly do I take for granted these "opportunities" that lie in America. Many times, we complain about how we lack the supports necessary to live the "American Dream". But how many of us are ready to work to make it a reality. When foreigners come to our land, they have a true goal in mind to obtain that American Dream and they sacrifice and do whatever is necessary to make it happen. However, some of us believe that we are inherit of this dream and find that it may be deferred or a non-reality because the "white man" has us down. Well...in Kwala...this puts things in perspective.

The little or the much that I have will never ever be taken for granted when I think about my stay here.

Photo Gallery 1

It is a challenge to upload photos as quickly as I would like. Internet here is really really really slow! Please stay tuned for more shots soon!

In an Aladhe of their Own

Kwala Primary and Secondary Schools both have strong missions of “Education is an Excellent Asset”. And the proof is in the children running up and down the main road, bags in tow, headed to school. I saw a child as young as four or five walking by himself to a school that was about a quarter of a mile away from his home.

As you walk around both campuses, children clutch onto their education like a mother to child. It is essential to be present and acquire as much knowledge as possible…because it is integral to the survival of their community.

The schools, themselves quite humble with materials or even basic fundamental classroom offerings—are still abundant with passion and vigor for a strong educational foundation.

I was blown away with what I saw inside. And I am sure you would be too!

So...You Don't Speak Swahili?

“How does a man who looks like us, not speak Swahili?” laughed Headmaster Luanadala. It was such as great introduction to my welcoming to Kwala Secondary School in Kwala, Africa. Kwala is a small rural village about two hours away from Dar es Salaam. The population is probably not more than 3000 – 4000 people. There you will find a great community of people who are shop owners, nurses, teachers, Masai (sp) guardians, mothers, fathers, grandparents, and children who have may appear to have meager existences yet have the hearts of kings and queens.

Many of the homes are made of clay, grasses, wood, and possibly cement. Floors are dirt for the most part. Most homes are not equipped with electricity or working plumbing. Water is quite precious in the area. People use the water they lug from central water tank to cook, wash clothes, clean, and themselves, and take care of basic house hold needs. It is not drinkable. Can you imagine what would happen if they experienced a drought?

As you walk through town, you discover that there is a tremendous sense of community. “Jambo” of “Mambo” greets you as you pass thru town. There are many little shops along the main road that sell everyday items of fruit, meat, shoes, household items, and more. During many parts of the day, people convene in small saloons to watch a movie—many National Geographic film or other documentaries and sip on a nice cold soda.

In Kwala, the people were absolutely warm and friendly and loving. They would give their last to ensure that we were comfortable and satisfied in their homes and schools.

The food—OMG—was delicious. We were presented with rice, beans, cabbage, and a meat and lunch and dinner. When I woke up, I was presented with a “breakfast snack” of eggs, coffee, tea, and a smile. Keep in mind that we would have “real breakfast” at about ten. That was porridge, eggs, bread, tea or coffee, and another smile. I was teased about being such a big man with such a little appetite. Smile!!! A 12:30 lunch was again—rice, beans, cabbage, another vegetable, and yes…a smile. Our host families are such adorable people who I feel went out of their way to make us feel at home. We slept in their childrens' beds—which were quite comfortable. They prepared showers for us out of their household water. And shared with us—so many stories about their lives. It made me realize how blessed we are here, in America.

Before I Lie Down Tonight

Did you know that Dar es Salaam means "Haven of Peace". God calmed any fears I had of traveling "home" a long time ago. I am at peace with this experience. I cannot imagine what I will encounter. But God has already marked it as a life-changing experience worth having.

I am laying it all on the altar and getting ready to enjoy the experience. I think I have purchased everything I could to make the plane ride--almost 20 hours of flying time--yikes...tolerable...but once there...it wont even matter.

I can't wait to share my first photos of the first moments I am there.