Students Deserve Safety
In July 2023, Mwangaza Program Director Salome Lally and Senior Education Advisor Dr. Phillip Wilder attended the Segal Family Foundation Annual Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda. A recipient of a Segal Family Foundation grant since 2017, Mwangaza joined over 600 partners and donors at the meeting. Salome and Phillip networked with dozens of East African NGOs focused on education. They shared what Mwangaza has learned about teacher education and school safety over the past 25 years, and also learned from others and envisioned new ways to expand the positive impact of Mwangaza programming.
“To be able to listen and share with people doing related work was a real gift,” Phillip reflects. “We need more opportunities to learn from each other as we collectively navigate the challenges and celebrate the successes of our programs. Our partnerships have always emphasized teaching and learning together.”
Salome felt a similar gratitude in networking. “Connecting with other NGOs was very helpful for Mwangaza as it was an opportunity to learn what other people do,” she shares. “I also learned the importance of learning from other organizations in Africa because we have similar challenges in schools.”
In Kigali, the event emphasized the importance of focused, quality data. “We are inspired to work hard to strengthen our framework and help us track impact,” Salome says. “The focus on the Safe School Initiative in 10 schools will help Mwangaza measure and document how our programs impact youth, teachers, and schools. We will have enough time to visit the schools regularly and meet with teachers, students, and parents.”
Mwangaza focuses on safety in schools and communities. The Safe School Initiative is currently being implemented in 10 secondary schools in Tanzania. Using non-violent communication, growth mindset, and alternative punishment, the Initiative focuses on teacher education, peace clubs for youth, and training for parents and community members. The aim is to cultivate a culture of safety where everyone’s needs matter and the rights of youth are protected.
There are over 7,000 students in these 10 schools. They each deserve safety as they learn and grow. Mwangaza is working to hire more program evaluation staff to track and document the direct impact of the Safe Schools Initiative. By investing in program evaluation, Mwangaza can collect the data needed to secure more funding and scale the program into more schools where students need support. More news will be shared in 2024 about these exciting developments!