The second course of UNHCR’s program for Eritrean educators and activists ended 27 December 2023. The course was attended by 16 after-school teachers of Eritrean-community run programs in Netanya, Pardes-Katz, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
In the concluding session, the participants shared the new tools and insights they attained and the ways in which they already witness the difference in their classrooms, and even at home. They also spoke about their desire to see their own children integrate and prosper within the Israeli society. The teachers expressed a desire to share the content, which proved to be incredibly useful and enlightening, not only to their peers but also to parents who deal with challenges of multiculturalism, questions of identity by the children and the wish for better integration in Israeli educational institutions.
The vocational training initiative was initiated and by Kedset Geberwold, the Head of Education at UNHCR Israel, together with Tovi Rofe, a pedagogical instructor at Mesila organization with the help of Tigrinya translator Anat Shifraw. They built the syllabus to fit the community’s needs. Following the success of the first course of the pioneering program, which ended September 2023, Geberwold and Rofe launched the second course, which included a more personalized workshop for the 22 teachers who completed the first program.
Geberwold commented on her experience working with the teachers and community: “In light of the impressive mobilization of the community on behalf of the children, and the great interest they have shown, we are already planning a training program for the parents in 2024.
Photo: UNHCR Israel
Tovi Rofe: "The importance of this course, beyond everything else, was that it created a space for peer learning. The meetings were an opportunity to share and expand perspectives, as well as an opportunity to create clarity about the needs of the community and youth, especially at this point in time."
Habtom: “When we started this course, our hearts were split in half. One piece was occupied with the problems of the community in September [following the riots in Tel Aviv], and the other half focused on this course. Yet, the course was important, and we gained so much, especially about our adolescents, and how being a teenager in Israel is not something we know about. Soon enough they’ll grow, and we might lose them, and it’ll be much harder.”
Berhane: “We have a saying: It doesn't matter if you were a professor or a farmer in Eritrea, in Israel we all work in (cleaning) the streets, and we got used to this. But we don't want this to be the future of our children as well.”
Kedest Geberwold: "This community is very strong, they built the social schools themselves, without the help of any organization or government, everything they have managed to accomplish, they did on their own".
Mulubrhan: “We knew nothing about ADHD, which we learned about in this course, and now we understand that these kids are no different, they just need more help. Their wisdom is the same or in some cases ever greater”.
Teklhay: “The communication between us and the students has changed, and it effected the relationships, which is now much better. We have begun to understand the students.”
Habtom: “Now, after we’ve acquired these tools, we want to go into the schools and teach Israeli teachers about our children’s challenges.”
A gift prepared by the participants for the three instructors in recognition of the important program they endowed to the community
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