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Karen Brooks with Malawian co-tutors.—Photo courtesy of Karen Brooks
Karen Brooks, New Norway
The short time that I spent in Malawi gave me a sense of the challenges that many educators face around the world. Our team of 4 Canadians and 20 Malawian teachers helped primary teachers, many of whom had only a Grade 8 education, upgrade and prepare for exams that will lead to better salaries and skills to cope with the daunting issues of AIDS, extreme poverty (many teachers earn little more than $80/month and support extended families of as many as 10 people) and huge classes (most teachers have classes of more than 100 students).
I taught social studies and facilitated a workshop on gender equity. In return, I received much from Malawians—love, respect and a clearer view of reality, and an understanding of what is important in life.
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