Have you ever wondered what Dignitas’ school partnerships look like in action, and what that partnership means to our School Leaders?  We’ll be introducing you to some of our Alumni over the next few days so that you can find out more!

Teacher Edwin has been teaching at Destiny School since 2018. There are many barriers to the delivery of quality education in community schools like Destiny in the urban informal settlements of Nairobi.  However, Teacher Edwin is passionate about forming a community at Destiny, where all children are welcome to learn.

Having been partnered with Dignitas for 5 years, Edwin speaks highly of the professional development support he has received through the partnership.  Edwin’s favourite takeaway from the Dignitas training workshops is the principle of ‘right is right’.

“Previously when a child was giving the wrong answer, the teacher was not correcting the child happily, or in a meaningful way.  Now we correct the child in a positive manner, and the next time the child won’t be scared of answering. They will want to improve themselves.”

In February 2020, Dignitas conducted a baseline study across 36 schools similar to Destiny, which showed that only 13% of teachers allow or encourage learners to ask questions and to interact with new ideas and concepts. The Effective Leadership for Early Years Learning programme is designed to improve whole child development through the strengthening of school leader capacity.

Teacher Edwin is delighted to conclude, “Now the children like the school so much that they don’t want to be absent!”.

As a school leader, Edwin is always thinking about how to improve the well-being of the children; this task has been made difficult by the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Most of the parents have lost their sources of income so now the majority of the children here depend on the meal they get at school. With the school food they are sure they will get the food.  At home they don’t know.” This problem is not unique to Destiny School. A Dignitas 2020 survey indicated that 79% of families had lost all pre-covid sources of household income.  During the COVID-19 school closures, Dignitas, in partnership with school leaders, and with significant support from Tailored for Education, was able to provide vulnerable households with basic necessities through a feeding programme. In addition, more than 500 children were also gifted notebooks and stationery to aid at home learning.  Dignitas, in partnership with schools like Destiny, were able to keep children safe and learning despite the challenges of the pandemic.

Dignitas is privileged to have partnered with Teacher Edwin and his team at Destiny.  The impact of partnership is clear – improved learning and well-being outcomes for the children in the school.  It is in partnership with Teacher Edwin and his team, that Dignitas is able to realise our vision that all schools will become vibrant places for children to thrive and succeed!