During this reporting period the children improved their culture of reading. The schools which are near the Children’s Peace libraries locations in Kigali, Gicumbi, and Rubavu changed their attitude towards reading. The students succeeded in their schools and this has led to more children coming to the Library at least three or four times a week. They use the libraries as one of their tools for studying. Their English literacy improved because children can now participate in different competitions where English is the main language.
PROJECT WORK UPDATE
- Community Changes
- project. Focus on changes that are outside project control.
About Reading Books in the Library
During these six months the libraries helped children’s behavior in school because during holidays, instead of children staying at home doing nothing or roaming around with friends without any positive influences, they came to the library.
The schools (teachers, headmasters) appreciate the impact the libraries are making on their students. They thank the libraries for their contribution to the development of the education department of different sectors
The library has not only contributed to children’s literacy but also has improved relationships between parents and children. Parents take time to bring their children to the library during holidays and also borrow books to help them read back home.
Libraries have also become places that encourage children to discover their talents. Children are creating their own stories through art and describing their stories in English. These activities create competition between children and eagerness to creativity.
About peer mediation trainings
About the peace education program: 160 students from three Libraries (Kigali, Gicumbi andKanzenze)got an opportunity to attend the peer mediation trainings. With this training 80% of those who attended reached out to their peers and taught them about conflict resolution. Through Peace Clubs, students created different ways to share the message they learnt through songs, art, games, poems, theater and sketches.
Parents appreciated how much their children changed in terms of behavior and communication between them. Children can now solve their conflicts without an adult’s intervention.
Through the peace clubs the students, teachers, parents, and local authorities celebrated international peace day on 20th and 21st.Thetheme this year was “Climate Action for peace.” They planted fruittrees at G.S Kicukiro and George Fox Kagarama primary school in Kigali and at Inyange primary school at Gicumbi. These trees are for protecting the environment.
The members of clubs shared the message of promoting peace by protecting the environment.
However, since Peace Clubs are created from within different partnered schools, some students don’t get to continue the Peace Club program due to different reasons such asa change of schools or moving from primary to secondary school. Usually this affects the follow up of members of those peace clubs.
- Learning
- What did you learn during this reporting period?
During this reporting period, I learned that in Rwanda the children’s culture of reading has improved. Compared with previous years, more people know the value of reading. I see children becoming better at speaking different languages day by day, and their confidence in public speaking has increased.
I have seen children grow intellectually through reading books. Parents have also been involved by encouraging and bringing their children to the libraries. However, I am trying to adopt a new culture that will help busy parents to value the impact the libraries are having on their children.
I learned that with the peer mediation training, Children’s peace library planted good seeds of sustainable peace for the next generation. The children will grow up with the culture of peace.
- Changes to plans
- Based on what you have learned, is there anything that needs to change from the original project plan, including activities, participants, or anticipated outcomes?
Librarians and facilitators find this project to be a great positive impact to the communities and there is nothing to change. However, Librarians requested more training on how to handle the libraries and children because they don’t want to just be there. The would instead like to inspire and help with the children’s literacy.
Librarians also wish to have more books in Kinyarwanda because as the Rwandan education program has said that the students must learn in their mother language, they also need to read some Kinyarwanda books.
It is normal for plans to change during a project. Before acting, discuss any proposed plan changes with MCC.
What activities related to Outcome 1 have happened during this reporting period?
The activities were: Storytelling
For each planned activity, describe:
- The students and the visitors use to read the book and telling story between them.
- Public speaking takes place every fortnight. The activity took place in September at Kigali peace library.
- (12 girls and 8boys) total are 20students
Changes to activities
If applicable, explain why planned activities did not take place during this reporting period, including changes in participant type or numbers. Note when they will take place.
- Outcome 2*: Improving conflict resolution within schools.
Activities
Activity was Peer Mediation trainings and International Day of peace
For each planned activity, describe:
Peer mediation:
- 7 trainings happened at three libraries.Three trainings in Kigali, two in Gicumbi, and two trainings in Rubavu.
- Kigali the two trainings happened from April 2rd to 4th 2019 and one from July16th to 18th2019.Each training happened over 3 days. In Rubavu it took place from July22rd to 24th for 3 days. In Gicumbi it took place from June 12th to 14th, 2019, for 3 days
International peace day
- The students, teachers, headmastersand local authorities celebrated international peace day at two libraries (Kigali and Gicumbi). The student members of the peace clubs planted the trees at their schools (the members of the peace club of G.S Kicukiro, the peace club of George Fox Kagarama primary school and the peace club of Inyange Primary school). This was to go along with this year’s theme: “climate action for peace”, by protecting the environment.
After planting the trees, the students from these schools shared the message of peace through sketches, songs, poems, and drawing stories.
The teachers, headmasters and local authorities advised the participants of protecting environment in order to promote peace.
- On the 20thof September the celebration was at Kigali peace library and on the 21st it was at Gicumbi peace library
- the number of participants was140total (120students and 20 adults) at Kigali and 120(100 students and 20 adults) at Gicumbi.
Participants
If you are counting households, multiply the number of participant households by the average household resident number to calculate the individual participant’s total. Identify the average size.
|
Who
directly participated in activities during this reporting period? Use participant population information from the proposal. |
# of
People | |
| # Girls | # Boys | |
| Peer Mediation Training | 92 | 67 |
| Reading Books In the library (reading and borrowing) | 1939 | 2062 |
| Total Number | 2031 | 2129 |
- Capacities
| Financial Attach a separate, detailed financial report, comparing cumulative project yearly expenditure against original planned budget. Break down expenditure by activity. Use the currency used for project expenses. Explain any significant variance to the planned budget. | |
| Number of and title of seconded personnel | |
| Material/food assistance details |
STORIES
The primary purpose of the story is to illustrate the project’s impact on people. However, it does not have to focus on one individual. The story can be short but try to have your story answer the questions below. (Don’t answer each question separately but think about how to include this information in your story so that someone reading your story would be able to answer these questions.)
My Name is NSHUTI Yvanne, I am from George fox primary school; I am 10 years old I study in P5 I like to come to the library three or four times in a week. It was a blessing for me to come to this library. Reading increased my knowledge; I learned the new words from the books and my English was improved. There are different kinds of books and these books teach in different ways. One day I read a book about helping others and it helped me to know how I can respect and help others. I thank all the people who buy the books for us.
My name is NIYONKURU Rodrigue, I am11years old, from Kirerema primary school in P5.Before coming to the library, I liked to play football. Often I had conflicts with my parents because of football; every day I got home too late at night and I thought that reading was not for me. But when I saw the library in our sector, I tried to change from playing to reading, this helped me to change my behavior of coming home late, and the library helped me also to learn more English vocabulary. I like reading and telling the stories I have read to my friends. I want to encourage all children to go to the library to read because we get knowledge from the books.
Peer mediation training
My Name is MUHAWENIMANA Lethitia, I study in p5 George fox Kagarama primary school. In this peer mediation training I have learned why the children also need this training. I understand all about conflict now. I learned good methods for conflict resolution through mediation, and I learned a mediator’s characteristics. This training helped me to change my own bad behavior and to cultivate the culture of peace in my peers by using good words, for example, I wish that… You should not say “you.” As mediator I will not be the cause of conflict. I will be able to resolve my conflict and help my peers to get the solution to their problems without going to a teacher or headmaster, and we will be able to respect each other and live peacefully.
My
name IMFURA SHEMA Happy, students
in P4 at Inyange primary school. The last three days I was here at the
training. I learned how I must promote peace at school by helping my peers who
are in conflict. This training was good for me because before getting it I was
one who was fighting with my peers, but because I know the causes of conflict
and good methods of conflict resolution, I am going to change my bad behavior.
Then I will help others to resolve their conflict.
She is UMUKUNDWA Josiane, she is 11years old, and she is in P5 at G.S Kanzenze. In her testimony she shared after training, she said that before attending this training they used to steal classmate’s pens, notebooks, and insult each other sometimes for no reason. But after attending this training she decided to be exemplary to the other children and she said that she is going to helps untrained kids by helping them to solve their conflicts when they arise. She said that she is going to change her bad behavior completely. Where she had very bad manners, She will now have the best behavior. This will be sustainable and bear fruit to the same generation. She will also respect the elder ones, and this will be her new culture both at school or at home.
Why did you choose this story?
I choose these stories because these students are some of our good members that enjoy participating in our activities and fight for positive change in our communities. Over the past years I have seen them grow in everything they do through our programs which also show us great success in what we are doing.
Appendix: Logical Framework (Logframe)
Prepopulate the progress report log frame below with the outcomes, indicators, and outputs that are in your project proposal log frame (MCC staff are available to help with this). Add, delete or merge columns and rows as necessary.
| Long-term Impact | ||||||
| Outcome Indicator |
Previous reporting period information Include baseline and all previous reporting periods: 12-month, 24-month, others. |
Current
reporting period Cumulative or current number for longitudinal changes. |
Outputs: current reporting period Brief description and number, disaggregated by men and women, if appropriate. |
Outputs:
Cumulative from project start Brief description and number, disaggregated by men and women, if appropriate. |
Bullet
point summary list of activities carried out this reporting period. [this can be very brief since they are described in detail above] | |
| Outcome 1 | Improved reading culture for children who visit the three libraries | According to library records and staff observations many of the children who visit the library come at least four days in a week. But some schools which are near to the library have students come almost every day in break and lunch time. During holidays the students come every day. | Number of children who attended the three libraries: Kigali: Boys : 417 Girls:392 Total:809 Gicumbi Boys:408 Girls:289 Total :697 Rubavu Boys:775 Girls:866 Total:1641 Borrowing books Kigali Boys: 0 Girls:18 Total:18 Gicumbi Boys:462 Girls:374 Total:836 | Number of children who attended the three libraries: Kigali : Boys:4226 Girls:3197 Total:7423 Gicumbi Boys:1443 Girls:1361 Total:2804 Rubavu: Boys:4579 Girls:5474 Total:10053 Borrowing books Kigali Boys:154 Girls:289 Total:443 Gicumbi Boys:1578 Girls:1668 Total: 3246 | -October,December Reading competition at Rubavu and Kigali June/Cleaning library with the youth volonteers from George school June / Open day event at Gicumbi peace library August/ teaching English and playing with the children, Volonteer from Scotland March/ week girls empowerment Computer skills | |
| There is an improvement in attitudes at all of the branches:Kigali, Gicumbi, and Kanzenze. The children like to come to the library because they like to read, increase their English language skills, learning computer, relax and play. The library helps to improve children’s English skills. Parents and Teachers fund that the Library play a big role on the upgrade of the student’s knowledge | ||||||
| Outcome 2 | Improved conflict resolution within the schools where pupils attend peer mediation trainings at the libraries | After children attended peer mediation the conflicts decreased in their schools. | Number of children who participate in peer mediation training: Kigali: Three training in this period.60 children were trained Gicumbi:Two training : 49children Kanzenze: Two training: 50children | Number of children who participate in peer mediation training : Kigali: 187children Gicumbi: 229 Kanzenze:140with 9 teachers | Peer mediation training International peace day event Participate in school closing ceremony where the children’s who were trained where the student they play different Game Scotch etc… | |
photo of planting trees in peace day
photo of after training peer mediation