The Student Empowerment and Education after-school program, implemented in five village primary schools in April 2016, encourages and empowers students, especially girls, to stay in school. The global grant/vocational training team project incorporated a cross-cultural, collaborative approach to develop the program and train Malawian teachers to refine, implement, and own it. Hear teacher and student stories, and learn how you can incorporate a similar process to design your next international project.

1. Empowering Students to Stay In School:
A Project in Malawi
Elizabeth Usovicz, PDG
June 12, 2017

2. The SEE Program: First Class of Lead Teachers

3. The SEE Program

4. The SEE Program
On a sunny day, this solar panel
will provide about 4 hours of light
for evening classroom study

5. The SEE Program

6. Current Life Skills Materials

7. The SEE Program

8. Body copy
Goal: More Students in Secondary School and Beyond

9. Atupele

10. Where it Began: Malawi Children’s Village

11. Where it Began: Malawi Children’s Village
Host Partner: RC Limbe Cooperating Organizations
International Partner: RC Kansas City Plaza Malawi Children’s Village
The Light Foundation

12. Planning Challenges: Teaching and Learning

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Planning Challenges: Technology

14. Cross-Cultural Factors

15. Creating the Curriculum: The VTT
Each member has over 20 years of working with Malawi Children’s Village (MCV)
Rotary Clubs of Limbe and Kansas City Plaza have over 15 years of collaboration on
MCV and village projects
Team credentials included:
 Master’s degree in TESL and cross-cultural communication
 Teaching, teacher training and curriculum development experience in
developing economies
 Master’s degree in Public Health and certification as a physician’s assistant
 Former Peace Corps Volunteer to Malawi
 Doctorate in educational literacy
 Multiple visits to Malawi, MCV and the villages served
 Additional assistance from an additional educator – doctorate in educational
literacy, native to Ghana, who has taught in several African countries

16. Creating the Curriculum

17. Creating the Curriculum
Cultural Elements We Considered
Review of Ministry of Education, WHO and UNICEF
curricula
 Nthano - traditional storytelling and performance
 Use of metaphors, cultural proverbs
 Culturally relevant stories and examples
 Visuals
Teaching Elements We Considered
Including new techniques to expand teachers’ skills
Making the training an experiential learning

18. Creating the Curriculum
Collaboration with the Lead Teachers
In advance:
 Feedback and recommendations on topics
 Review of 2 of 12 sessions
During training:
 Phrasing of questions/introductions of topics
 Including, adapting or removing specific activities or topic

19. The SEE Program: 12 Sessions
Session 1 We Are Together
Session 2 Goals
Session 3 Goals, Obstacles and Teen Pregnancy
Session 4 I Believe in Myself: Making Good Decisions
Session 5 Peer Influences and Substance Abuse
Session 6 HIV/AIDS
Session 7 Gender Equity and Finding Your Path to Your Goals
Session 8 My Leadership Skills
Session 9 Malaria, Your Goals and Leadership
Session 10 Global Warming and Climate Change: Be a Good Example to Others
Session 11 Be the Change
Session 12 The Beginning: Implementing Our Project Together

20. Clear Ownership of the Program and Future Direction
Cross-cultural
Gender Roles
Local Expertise
Religious and Tribal Differences
Hierarchy
Incorporation of culturally relevant content and images
Inclusion of new techniques
Experiential Approach
Lead Teacher reflection/feedback for each session
Lead Teacher meetings to share ideas (every 4-6 months)
Collaborative Training and Review

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Session 3 Overcoming Barriers: Magic Mat

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Waiting for the Men’s Team to Finish

23. Boys Are/Girls Are Activity
followed by
Homework on Changing Roles
Session 7: Gender Equity

24. Sessions 1-12: Tree of Life

25. Session 1: Tree of Life

26. Successes and Lessons Learned
Successes
Tree of Life
Gender Equity: Boys Are/Girls Are Activity
Problem Solving: The Human Knot
Peer Pressure: How to Say No
Without Saying No Activity
Climate Change
Believing in Yourself:
The Boy who Harnessed the Wind
Lessons Learned
Time allotments for some activities
Frequency of the sessions
Journals and pencils
Teacher hierarchy and transfers

27. “The SEE Program Is in Your Hands Now.”

28. Graduation and Certificates

29. Scarves and Sunglasses

30. SEE Program
SEE Program Lead Teachers
Benard and Aysha working
with their students on a self-
esteem activity
Note the pock-marked
chalkboard: Kansas City
Plaza Rotary Club donated
additional funds to repaint
these in 9 village schools

31. ”You treated us as equals,
and you did it with love.”

32. Questions and
Discussion
Elizabeth Usovicz eusovicz@kc.rr.com

33. Read Myness’s Story and discuss these questions:
SEE Program: The Story of Myness
 What good decisions did Myness make?
 What bad decisions did Myness make?
 What can Myness do?

34. This presentation and others
from throughout the convention
are available through the
convention mobile app and on
SlideShare at
www.SlideShare.net/Rotary_International.

35. Rate this session in the
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available in your Apple or
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