Educational Projects
One of the goals of IESC is to help provide a hope for the future for the people we live and work among. We actively invest in future leaders by promoting education at all levels of society. We trust that this investment of time and resources will lead these communities to set the standards for their countries and lead them towards a bright tomorrow.
Teacher Training
IESC has offered annual training clinics for primary school teachers since 2003. We partner with local government officials in the Ministry of Education and provide these clinics as a way to continue the education process for these educators. These clinics provide training in various core subjects such as English, Science, and Math. They are foundational in creating a positive learning atmosphere for primary school students and provide these teachers with new strategies and methods to use in their classrooms. By investing in teachers there is a greater and longer lasting impact on the community because the teachers are the ones who are shaping the minds of the leaders of tomorrow.
Adult Education
As our EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students often say, “English is an international language.” Recognizing that English skills can help adults improve their lives through better jobs and higher education, we began an EFL school for adults over a decade ago. We offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses for Kiswahili speakers. In these classes, we teach both speaking and writing skills. The goal of these classes is not only to improve our students’ language skills, but also to encourage them and model a positive outlook on life.
The following quotes come from former and current EFL students:
“Before studying English at IESC, I could only get a job cleaning at International School of Zanzibar. Now, after two years, I am a teaching assistant at ISZ. I help children with their phonics, English, and reading skills! The people at IESC are amazing teachers and wonderful people. They have changed the lives of so many people. They made me believe in myself again. They will always have a place in my heart.” –Tahiya, Zanizibar
“I.E.S.C. not only provides English education for us but helps us improve our futures.” –Mbarouk, Tanzania
Educational Competitions
One of the keys to learning is motivation. IESC seeks to motivate students to learn by making learning fun. One of the ways we do this is by organizing educational competitions for our students. These competitions not only encourage students to learn, but they give the students opportunities to apply the knowledge they have as well as build social skills like team-work and public speaking. For these competitions, we partner with local organizations and the Ministry of Education to sponsor debates, quizzes, symposiums, and essay competitions. These activities make learning fun and enable students to gain the confidence they need to succeed.
Educational Resources
IESC seeks to provide educational resources for primary and secondary schools in Africa. These resources have included educational and reference books for students and teachers, as well as educational videos that can be shown during class. IESC has also provided exams to help students practice and prepare for upcoming national examinations.
AIDS and HIV Educational Workshops
Local community groups as well as secondary students have benefited from IESC sponsored AIDS/HIV Educational Workshops. These workshops have focused on helping participants envision and attain a happy and healthy future. Facilitators conduct sessions that are informative, entertaining, culturally relevant, and strategic in helping participants achieve their life goals.
Sports
IESC believes that playing sports is of great value. There are obvious health benefits, but sports bring social benefits as well. It promotes teamwork, discipline and cooperation. Sports can also bring communities together as they play together and stand untied in the support of their team. Therefore, IESC has organized and hosted many volunteer coaching clinics.
We work closely the the Ministries of Education and Ministries of Information, Culture, and Sport in Kenya and Tanzania. The goal of our clinics is two-fold: teaching basic skills to local school teachers and teaching more advanced skills to local clubs. By conducting these clinics, we seek not only to teach skills but to build individuals and communities.
Disaster Relief
IESC has been able to assist communities in East Africa following times of disaster. Whether it is meeting immediate needs, or helping with long-term rebuilding, we aim to help and assist these communities during their time of need. For example, in 2009, a fire devastated a coastal Kenyan village, damaging or destroying an estimated 500 homes and businesses and affecting over 2500 people. IESC personnel partnering with a community-based organization from Mombasa traveled to the village to meet with local leaders and villagers to assess needs and determine how IESC could assist this community. IESC was able to provide medicines for the local medical clinic to meet the immediate needs of the community that resulted from the fire. Thousands of textbooks for three schools in the village were also donated after it was determined that many of the students lost all their possessions in the fire.
Another example of an opportunity to meet immediate needs of a community was in response to accidental bomb explosions at the Gongola Mboto Army Depot in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in February 2011. IESC partnered with the Tanzanian Red Cross to provide additional mosquito nets and blankets for those affected by the blasts. Several families lost their homes and possessions following the blasts, so the mosquito nets and blankets provided protection from the weather and outside elements. The Tanzanian Red Cross distributed the nets and the blankets at their emergency management points. We donated the needed funds to assist the Tanzanian Red Cross with this project. Several hundred Tanzanians received help after this tragic situation.