On The Ground - Jan/Feb 2022

College des Saviors (CdS)

After a 10 year partnership with CdS, Malembe Rise has decided the time has come to leave CdS. After a three month evaluation period that looked at student, administration, and community involvement, the DRC team determined that sharing the CoL model with a new school is the best next step for Malembe Rise. Dr Jerry is working with the CdS administration to involve several students as mentors as Malembe Rise moves on to partner with another local Mpasa school.

DRC Staff

Mr Chancard, Mr Pombo, and Dr Jerry are working to create a CoL manual drawing upon their time and experiences with CdS. This manual will eventually be a resource for any school that would like to create their own Club of Leaders. The goal of writing this manual is that each involved member will gain a deep understanding of why the CoL is valuable to all stakeholders of a school.

The US and DRC team are working to create a systemic way to document what is happening on the ground. As MR begins with a new partner school, it is important to have organized data that can be shared with grants, donors, and colleagues. Blending the US and DRC distinct organizational culture continues to be a challenge but a source of growth for all involved parties.

Teacher Professional Development

Malembe Rise is networking with various organizations to create a community of practice that will explore ways to integrate 21st century skills within the DRC National Curriculum. This community will conduct research and explore options for reform among DRC primary schools. The ultimate goal of this community would be to form an International Lab School (ILS) where primary school teachers are taught to empower their students to use classroom knowledge to respond to needs within their own communities.