A Year in Review
Since 2012, School-to-School International (STS) has championed the Whole Child Model—a holistic approach to education based on the understanding that for students to thrive, their basic needs must be fulfilled. 2024 marked our fifth anniversary of working with the Arusha District Education Office in Tanzania, and our efforts tackled support in three dimensions: education, health, and community engagement.
Key Takeaways:
Education:
- In 2024, STS held three in-person trainings for teachers at Laroi Primary School and Olmedeye Primary School, the Whole Child Model’s focus schools. The training focused on instructional management through flexible groupings and peer-led coaching, social and emotional learning, and strengthening instructional skills in literacy and numeracy.
- Each training was followed by a visit from STS’s coaches to the primary schools. This allowed all participating teachers to receive one-on-one mentoring in a classroom environment.
Health:
- STS renewed its partnership with Elle Peut Naidim in 2024 and brought their “Happy Period, Happy Girls” program to one of STS’s focus schools, Olmedeye Primary School. With Elle Peut Nadim, STS hosted menstrual hygiene management workshops and created girls’ clubs.
- Through the workshops and clubs, girls were given sanitary towels, underwear, and materials to make reusable pads. Through this work, girls are supported—informationally, emotionally, and tangibly—so they can welcome their periods with dignity each month.
Engagement:
- In 2024, STS’s coaches led parent-teacher communication workshops and school-based management committee workshops at each focus school. The former revealed the need for troubleshooting existing tools, and the latter helped motivate officials from the Arusha District Education Office to systemize its approach to school management committees.
Check out our full end of year report here. We are grateful for the work we’ve been able to do so far and excited to share what’s to come!
