The Perivoli Schools Trust was established in 2012 and operates a nursery school teacher training programme in countries across sub-Saharan Africa. They include Namibia, Malawi, Zambia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.[1]
History
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The Perivoli Schools Trust was established by the Perivoli Trust and funded by the Perivoli Foundation. Perivoli Foundation is funded by the Perivoli Trust and also by Perivoli Innovations, a technology venture fund. The Perivoli Trust was settled by James Alexandroff. James was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours 2023 Overseas and International List for his services to Education in Africa.[2] He co-founded Singapore-based emerging markets investment management firm Arisaig Partners in 1996 and donated his one third share to the Perivoli Trust in 1999.[3]
Maya Kafuwa and her husband Titan Madomba are the current joint CEOs of the Perivoli Schools Trust.[4][5]
Activities
editThe programme shows nursery school teachers the importance of play and how to make games and educational activities out of recyclable waste materials, such as yoghurt cartons, bottle tops, toilet rolls, pieces of cardboard, discarded garments and tin cans[6]
More than 25,000 nursery school teachers have received training through the work of the trust, reaching more than 1,000,000 children. Perivoli Schools Trust set targets of training more than 200,000 teachers and five million children.[7]
Measurement and Impact
editThe Perivoli Foundation supported a three year external assessment of the programme by the School for Policy Studies at the University of Bristol and the School of Social of Humanities, Society and Development at the University of Namibia on the impact of the Perivoli Schools Trust programme in Namibia. The published report, titled “The Perivoli Schools Trust Early Child Care and Education Model: Exploring lived experiences and wider social impacts” concludes that the programme has been positively received by communities across Namibia. It supports early childhood education through innovative approaches like learning through play and recycled materials, while also improving educators’ teaching practices. The report reveals the programme has incited capacity building, economic opportunities, and community-wide benefits. A video was also released by the University of Bristol and University of Namibia to highlight these results.
A report published by the Principal Education Officer under the Directorate of Teacher Education and Specialised Services in Zambia also showcases PST's impact. The visits by the regional authorities conducted in early childhood education centers across Chirundu, Chongwe, and Lusaka districts in Zambia revealed positive outcomes from the Teacher Training Programme. The report highlights that teachers are effectively implementing play-based learning strategies and using locally produced teaching materials to engage children. There is also strong support from both school management and communities, with parents contributing resources for learning.
The Perivoli Schools Trust encourage relevant authorities and researchers in the countries they operate in to conduct their own evaluation of the programme.
Awards
editIn 2022, Perivoli Schools Trust was awarded a bronze level award in the Educational Excellence category at the 2022 Global Good Awards.[8] The programme also won an International Green Apple Environment Award[9] and was shortlisted for Project of the Year award at the 2022 Business Charity Awards.[10]
References
edit- ^ Baker, Lisa (January 20, 2022). "Somerset entrepreneur celebrates charity expansion on return from Africa".
- ^ "New Year Honours 2023 Overseas and International List: Order of the Bath and Order of the British Empire". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ^ Arthur, Andrew. "The Somerset entrepreneur helping train thousands of nursery school teachers in Africa". Business Live.
- ^ "Maya Kafuwa: Our goal is to get girls to read". Smiley Movement. March 8, 2022.
- ^ Baker, Hannah. "The latest appointments and promotions in the South West". Business Live.
- ^ Ganie, Zeenat (December 27, 2021). "Teacher training programme making a big difference in Africa".
- ^ "Perivoli Schools Trust".
- ^ "2022 Global Good Awards". Global Good Awards. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
- ^ "Hall of Winners". The Green Organisation. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
- ^ "Business Charity Awards Shortlist 2022". March 29, 2022.