Dear Friends and Donors,
We are happy to announce to you that every single one of our students at Hampaté Bâ Secondary School is happy and healthy and back in school as of June 1st, this time with masks on ! So this is fantastic and reassuring news!
The challenges have been great, and still continue to be consequential, but the students are very resilient and determined to succeed in spite of the numerous challenges.
CHALLENGE # 1 : NO REVISIONS OR REMOTE LEARNING DURING LOCKDOWN
Schools at all levels in Niger closed on March 20th and remained closed up until June 1st. During this period of almost 2 ½ months, the students benefitted from NO remote learning nor tutoring, so that virtually meant a
2 ½ month period where no classes were given and no academic re-enforcement took place. To correct this situation, the government intended to put in place a remote learning program by WhatsApp, but were not able to achieve that objective finally with their professors. Moreover, even if they had succeeded in implementing that program, a majority of the students in Niger do not have mobile phones or enough money to purchase minutes in order to follow classes on-line. Not to mention the disadvantage for some of our scholarship students, who are terribly underprivileged and do not even have electricity. So mission impossible.
CHALLENGE #2 : ONLY 1 ½ MONTHS TO CATCH UP ON 2 ½ MONTHS ABSENCE
As the Minister of Education in Niger concluded , in agreement with the Council of Ministers, that they didn’t want to lose an academic year, they took the decision to continue secondary school classes between June 1st and July 15th. And yet only 50% of the program had been completed before shut-down on March 20th. This means the students have to catch up and complete the total program, therefore having the last 50% of the program to finish in only 45 days with extended time in the afternoon. A big challenge for sure !
CHALLENGE # 3 : SOCIAL DISTANCING AND HYGIENE DURING LOCKDOWN
Of course in Niger, just like in most countries in the world, the golden rules during the coronavirus crisis included social distancing, hand washing, and wearing masks. The problem being that social distancing in Niger is very difficult to carry out. Large families living in small spaces cannot social distance. Not to mention the impossibility of carrying out certain sanitary rules and basic hygiene, when they eat in the same plates and drink out of the same cups. Niger’s traditions for marriages and baptisms and grouping together make matters even worse. In spite of these difficulties and rules not always respected, Niger’s figures were not catastrophic, and perhaps all the cases were not reported. The official figures as of June 10th are : 974 positive cases and 65 deaths.
CHALLENGE # 4 : THE HOTTEST, WETTEST & SANDIEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR
In any tourist brochure for Niger, you will see that it is highly advised NOT to go to Niger from March through May because of the high temperatures. This is the hot season which is sweltering and temperatures can easily exceed 40 degrees centigrade. Sandstorms do occur and this year they have been especially numerous and colorful, as is seen in our photos. From June through September, it is the rainy season, making the air heavy and humid. which isn’t any easier. It is hot, oppressive and mostly cloudy. So to go to school, when the weather is so hot that you can’t think (especially without air conditioning) or when the rain is so abundant that water floods the roads, is not exactly easy and definitely affects one’s energy and motivation, making studying a grueling task. Instead of ending school beginning June with exams in June/July, students must now brave Niger’s worst seasons, with school ending mid-July and exams in mid August..
RESILIENCE AND DETERMINATION WITH A SMILE
In spite of having only a few months ahead of them to revise and to successfully complete the unfinished program during the worst seasons of the year, the Hampaté Bâ students have decided to make the most of the situation and work with devotion and determination. They have reasoned that they have no choice, and since they want to succeed their BEPC and BAC exams, they have been making the most of their time. The Exam classes are 9th grade students in Middle school and 12th grade students in High School. Each morning they attend their regular classes in all subjects. In the afternoon they have supplementary classes to catch them up on the last 50% of the program that they haven’t learned yet in the most essential subjects. In addition, our Association is working with those low-income students who are struggling the most, and giving them very necessary coaching in smaller groups. This makes for a day from 8 am right through to 6 pm and after that they have a nice walk home , ranging between ½ hr and 1 hour. And this is done with no complaints. Only with a smile and with gratitude. Because in Niger, education is such a gift, that it is prized by students whose families could not afford to put their children in school. These students actually WANT to have an education and they treasure the opportunity we are giving them to follow studies that could lead them to professional training or to higher studies.
A SURGE OF ENERGY AND CLEVER IDEAS
The students have actually approached all the challenges of COVID19 with a positive attitude and clever ideas. Some have turned to the computer resources at the Hampaté Bâ School to improve their reading and writing capacities. Others have used the computers to improve their mathematical skills and more sophisticated programming tools. Still others have invented machines to distribute soap so as to put hygiene habits into practice daily. So the crisis has instigated new ideas and a flow of energy to move forward and be innovative with original new ways of doing things. Bravo to these brave students !
THERE IS HOPE, WITH YOUR HELP
We wish all these students luck in facing a very difficult challenge during these terrible times and are behind them to support their great efforts and to encourage them. We are very thankful for any and all donations you can contribute to help students succeed, reach their potential, and break the poverty cycle. They need you to help them out, by supporting a student scholarship, teacher training, or specialized tutoring, to give the most disadvantaged, struggling students a better chance.
Our students have not given up. They are still hopeful. With your donations, we can make their hope become a reality and their dreams come true. Thank you.
We are facing a great challenge. Niger is the least-developed country in the world: ranked 189th out of 189 countries according to the 2019 U.N. Human Development Index.
Solutions for Equal Opportunities and Hope This is why our non-profit « les Amis de Hampaté Bâ » has been endeavoring over the past 10 years to address one of the main development issues : Education. One solution we found to improve the quality of education and to help reduce the dropout rate of underprivileged pupils with literary and numeracy deficiencies at Hampaté Bâ Secondary School, was to implement an extensive tutoring program.
In the process, we have worked on gender equality issues, and have empowered girls to transition into the education system to complete their schooling and delay marriage by funding a certain number of scholarships. Our hope was that quality education would turn struggling students, especially girls, into confident, above average achievers.
Going a few steps further and picking up speed
We have always had tutoring programs in place over the last 10 years, but results were not always measurable and evident and students were not convinced. Little by little our remediation programs have gathered momentum and picked up speed and have finally given very satisfactory results, motivating both students and teachers. Now thanks to a generous one-year grant from the FAWCO Foundation, we have been given the opportunity to go even further in our tutoring efforts to improve this exceptional program.
So what’s new?
The new tutoring program is very exciting for both teachers and students. Here are some of the main improvements:
A spontaneous interview with some Middle School scholarship students about their math tutoring classes : They are enthusiastic « fans » !
All the girls agree that the tutoring classes allow them to understand and discover hidden details. They all talked about how important it is for them to follow these classes in small groups. They are all joyful to have this opportunity and are motivated to regularly attend these afterschool classes which give them self-confidence and pride in getting better grades !
Charifou: « These tutoring classes allow me to progress in Maths and in Physics. I can ask questions about things that I didn’t exactly understand in my daily classes at school. I am really proud because my tutoring class last Thursday helped me gain 2 points more on my recent physics exam. »
Samira: « I like the tutoring sessions because I have a deeper understanding of the exercises and that way I am ready at all times for the weekly exams and final tests. »
Saadia: « For me, it’s a chance to ask questions about applications and do examples of exercises that I didn’t really understand in my school class. If there are things that remain cloudy for me in class, I know I can ask my tutor after school to re-explain so that I can understand better. I love my tutoring classes !«
And what does the Math tutor have to say?
For Mr Gogo, who gives tutoring sessions in Math and Physics to middle school scholarship girls, the remediation classes have proven successful, given the good results obtained, which are improving year after year.
« If we take the 9th grade class preparing the BEPC as an example, each year the students following remediation classes have a much higher percentage of success passing this exam, than the students who don’t come to tutoring. If we talk about the classes in between the diploma classes, all the students following my tutoring classes pass into the next grade and are among the most brilliant students in their class », remarks Mr. Gogo with pride.
He continues: « In view of the small number of students per tutoring class, these students are really happy to work together, spurred on by the competitive spirit between them.
I have not been disappointed about following my students year by year, as I have been able to observe that these students deserve these remediation classes and work hard to increase their level. »
Mr. Gogo draws the conclusion that “ in every enterprise, follow-up is important to get better results “.
We are very grateful to be able to offer this improved tutoring program to deserving underprivileged students in Niger this year, giving them equal opportunities to succeed in their exams, get their diplomas, and find employment. We are convinced that these classes are key in preparing them for careers of their choice and a brighter future.
We need your donations to continue this remarkable program in the future and help us continue to make a difference in our students’ lives.
We so appreciate your support. Thank you!!
The Challenge Financing education for youngsters in Niger is a wonderful idea, but we have witnessed over our 10 year experience, that it isn’t satisfactory to just fill classrooms with students who are learning virtually nothing due to the low level of teaching.
The Obstacles Many underprivileged students at Hampaté Bâ Secondary School were struggling, since French, the language of instruction, was not spoken at home with their illiterate parents. We realized very quickly that the big challenge was to improve the quality of education, reduce the dropout rate, and break the poverty cycle.
Not an easy task.
The Solution Nevertheless, we were daring ! Back in 2011, we decided to improve learning conditions by providing an after-school tutoring program, textbooks for all to take home, and hands-on specialized training for teachers so they could bring underachievers up to level in spite of their weak skills in reading and writing.
Long-Term Impact We were also hopeful that quality education would eventually turn struggling students, especially girls, into confident above average achievers. Did it work ?
Tutoring Program is Paying off ! Today we can proudly announce to you that our remediation classes spearheaded by dynamic professionals did work, slowly but surely. We intend to keep up this effort and make intensive tutoring one of our main goals, as it has proved to be a major key to our students’ success.
Diplomas and Sweet Success ! Getting the BEPC diploma after 4 years in Middle School and/or getting the BAC diploma after 3 more years in High School was a revolution. In many cases, our underprivileged students were the first in their family to go to school.
The diplomas not only unlocked doors and allowed students to continue with superior education, universities or professional training, but it created the ripple effect and inspired others. When students saw that their friends from low-income families were able to succeed in getting diplomas, they tried too! Our first BAC graduates were in 2018 and we had even more in 2019. It’s quite amazing to see these students who came from such poor backgrounds evolve in such an impressive way. Today, thanks to the trained tutors who reinforced their capacities, these disadvantaged students, despite coming from families without an education, were able to adjust to new challenges, be admitted to prestigious schools and hopefully move on to become young leaders.
What happened to these students after getting their diplomas ? We set up an ambitious plan to help these students from low-income families get ready for superior education or professional training schools. Just look where they are now ! Here are some examples of schools they were admitted to after they passed exams and sent in their applications with the help of our school counsellor :
Graduates with BEPC Diploma :
Graduates with BAC Diploma
These individual success stories make a big difference in the community. The students followed trained tutors at Hampaté Bâ School who took the lead in helping underachieving students to increase their level. The students felt there was support and that gave them hope. Their path is very uplifting.
Thank you so much for your continued support of this incredible tutoring program. We appreciate your faithful help of young people in Niger who would not have a chance for a better future without your donations. THANK YOU !
It all started back in 2009. 10 years ago. What a marvelous adventure!
In the beginning …
We founded our non-profit organization, « les Amis de Hampaté Bâ », to support an amazing pedagogical project initiated by our good friend Homa K. at an amazing school, Hampaté Bâ Middle School in Niamey. Our hope along with Homa was to improve the quality of education with special teacher training and help reduce the dropout rate of underprivileged secondary pupils with reading and writing deficiencies through tutoring programs.
Our beliefs stronger than the Challenge
We believed in the importance of equal access to education and opportunity for all students, no matter their economic background. But this was indeed a big challenge to tackle: to improve the results of Nigerien children with illiterate parents and several years behind in their academic level upon entering secondary school. Another problem : the parents could not afford to pay for secondary education. So we decided to sponsor scholarships to put deserving underprivileged youth in Hampaté Bâ Secondary school, our most difficult goal being to bring these underachievers up to level and to keep them in school!
A Wild Adventure
After 10 years, we can honestly say it has been a wild adventure for the students and teachers and for us too. We had to adapt to each other, valuing mutual respect and the giving and sharing of knowledge and skills. The students learned from our projects and we learned from the students; their hopes, their difficulties, their desires. Tutoring programs were implemented little by little and were first met with resistance both by the students and the parents and even by some teachers, who thought the struggling students would never make it. But acquiring reading and writing skills was a « must » to turn these students into confident above average achievers. We remained believers and kept going !
Stepping from Middle School to High School
As the tutoring program became more intensified with technology in our computer room used to improve reading and writing skills, and as the teachers became more at ease in small groups with the students, the students themselves became more confident and more motivated and liked getting better results on their exams. They became proud and when the Hampaté Bâ High School opened in 2015, many of our scholarship students were admitted. In 2018, three years later, we had our first High School Graduates!
Dreams that have become Reality
Hampaté Bâ’s reading and writing program has led to marvelous discoveries and success stories that were once dreams, and are now actually coming true. Our students have worked hard and have been courageous. Due to their success in the Brevet (BEPC) exam and the Baccaulaureat, those who succeeded will have an opportunity to attend professional Institutes for specialized training and studies or universities for higher education. This is their dream come true!
Our Impact is Real
We are proud to share with you the 2019 Nigerien test results of our scholarship students: CONGRATULATIONS !
The 2019 BAC : 55.50% success rate for our students
(compared to Niger’s national average of 25% : 1 student out of 4)
The 2019 BEPC : 62.50% success rate for our students
(compared to the average of 33.5% in the region of Niamey)
A Bright Future
We wanted more than anything to help struggling underprivileged boys and girls to catch up on literacy skills and to give them a brighter future, and that future has come ! The quality education you have offered them will inevitably lead to a quality employment. As I am writing, our graduate students are applying to universities and professional institutes to follow fiscal, accounting, business, law, ONG, engineering, health and gynecological careers. The majority have already been accepted and some with scholarships. The success of our students inspires us and reminds us that we must continue to provide quality educational opportunities to these worthy underserved students who desire a better future for their families and their country.
Breaking News : Our first student to land a job !
Our student, Hamsatou, who chose to attend a health institute after her BEPC, was the best in her class and has been hired by the biggest pharmacy in Niamey as an assistant pharmacian. Her perseverance in mastering reading and writing skills paid off! Bravo!
It’s not over. We must continue!Many young students from impoverished and illiterate backgrounds were able to attend secondary school thanks to you! This would not have been possible without your kindness and generosity. Niger is one of, if not the poorest countries in the world and only 6% of girls and 9% of boys attend middle school and just 3% go on to high school. We look forward to keeping you updated about the many ways your support is changing young lives in Niger. Your gift of secondary school education to these students will have long-standing effects on the students, their families and their community. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATIONS!
The Big Challenge
We have been writing for years now about our big challenge to bring reading and writing skills up to level for students at Hampate Ba Secondary School. This is especially true concerning our underprivileged scholarship students who arrive in 6th grade, coming from public schools with jam- packed classes where they virtually have learned very little, if anything at all and who have the added disadvantage of having illiterate parents who do not speak French with them at home. So they start Hampate Ba Middle School with a big disadvantage and are discouraged from the beginning. We have remedied this mostly through our fabulous new After School Tutoring Program that we have started to implement with trained teachers who are able to boost the students. And now, in conjunction with this tutoring action, we were able to confirm during our trip in April to Niamey, that our recent introduction of technology is also giving good results. Therefore, we are proud to announce that we are currently using new technology to enhance motivation for improving the very necessary skills of reading and writing.
Reading and Writing as a Backbone of all Content Areas
Before discussing technology and its unquestionable advantages with the reading and writing process (language arts), it is necessary to remember that many other subjects within a school curriculum require reading and writing skills in order to address the content. Mathematics as well as science projects often require explanations in writing and comprehensive reading understanding to do research. In fact, all subjects in the curriculum require reading comprehension and knowledge of the writing process, as students need to be able to read, research and write about a particular topic.
How does Technology Help?
Technology is definitely a valuable tool that has the ability to enhance the learning skills for reading and writing and has the capability to motivate the learner and the teacher for creativity. Students acquire literary skills vital for success in school today and teachers invent new methods for teaching.
Projectors as an efficient and fun Tool
As we visited different classrooms during our visit to Niamey in April, we were pleasantly surprised to see that the projectors we had purchased and delivered were being well put to use ! History/geography teachers were able to develop thematic units on weather and world regions. Projecting images and illustrations on the screen gained a whole new dimension and certainly beat copying texts from the blackboard. This type of resource also helps develop the autonomy of the students, as they also learn to use the projector on their own and present their projects.
Our computer lab has proved successful so far as a guide and a tool : it keeps getting better!
The Internet is constructing global bridges for students to learn, by changing the way that information is absorbed, processed, and used. Technology is influencing how students read, write, listen, and communicate. Our computer lab, under the supervision of an expert computer teacher, is encouraging students to be attentive, to do research, and to go further than what they have learned in class. From an attendance list, we are happy to confirm that during our visit at the school, we were able to determine that the students who have regularly used the computer lab for research, are more enthusiastic and have a higher success rate than those who have only copied a lesson from the blackboard in class. This is excellent news and we hope the tendency continues!
Listen to what the Students/Teachers have to say :
« I come to the computer lab afterschool as often as possible. I want to succeed my BEPC exam and when I do Internet research, I am able to go deeper into the subjects and then I get motivated to learn more and more. » comments Razak, an avid computer user in middle school.”
“I hear the students repeating often that they are excited since they know that the computer work they are doing is special, since it is something that their parents did not have the opportunity to do when they were at school. I am really amazed to see the progress made by the students and how technology has enhanced their motivation to do schoolwork. » says Mr. Namata, the proud computer after-school teacher.
« I love science and I am happy to see I can read new scientific terms and also use those terms in a sentence.Those new words quickly become familiar to me » comments Nafissa who aims to be a doctor one day.
“ I like getting to my history/geography class as early as possible. We have a team that is interested in technology and so we have learned to set-up the projector and have everything ready for the lesson when the teacher arrives. We all feel good about being independent and accomplished. We want this to continue because the class is so much more alive and interesting with images projected onto the screen. The technique of this teacher really makes us learn better.” exclaims with enthusiasm Sidi who is a 6th-grader
What is Next ?
Next on the list is to teach the students how to do Power Point Presentations with visuals, so important for keeping the attention of young minds. When all of these technology-enhanced lessons are combined, we hope the young learners at Hampaté Bâ will continue eagerly to improve their reading and writing skills. Most find it more enjoyable to use the computer than struggle with flipping pages.
Students and Teachers going beyond ...
We are happy to have some Technology- savvy teachers at Hampaté Bâ, who are becoming an inspiration to our students. It is evident that technology is in everyone’s best interest, especially that of our students, to utilize this dynamic tool within their school day and to give them better chances for employment in the future.
We need your donations to help finance scholarships and keep girls in Hampaté Bâ School that implements such innovative projects. Be part of the change! Your contributions give our students a better chance through technology education to improve their skills, to help their families, to develop their community. You can make a difference in their lives. THANK YOU !
Project Reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you will get an e-mail when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports via e-mail without donating.
We'll only email you new reports and updates about this project.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
