Through collaboration with liaison Maddy Manden (pictured, left), Elim is helping shape special education policy throughout the entire country of Rwanda!

 

Recently, Maddy worked alongside one of Elim’s staff members to create a 3-year proposal to develop STAR Trac, a program that will make education more accessible for children with disabilities within the public school system in Rwanda. The STAR Trac proposal has laid out a plan for training certified special education teaching assistants who would be prepared to support the education of students with disabilities within a general education classroom. After creating the proposal, Maddy presented it to the Rwandan Minister of Education, who was excited by the proposal and quickly asked Maddy to meet with him to search for a building and to make the program a reality.

 

In order to support this valuable work, Elim has created a team that will work alongside Maddy to develop a comprehensive curriculum for STAR Trac. Elim’s team, made up of teachers, therapists, and paraprofessionals is meeting bi-monthly to create a plan to help train teacher assistants. Jenna Hania, Elim’s International Outreach Coordinator, believes sharing Elim’s knowledge in Rwanda is vital.

 

“Elim’s staff has so much knowledge and expertise. Even sharing the daily lessons, therapies, and general daily activities that take place at Elim provides incredibly valuable insight for educators in Rwanda and other areas of the world. We’re excited to start the process of capturing and organizing Elim’s expertise so we can share it and help other special education programs grow. By sharing this knowledge, Elim’s mission is multiplied and more individuals with disabilities are served.”