Kigali LiA 1 - Weeks 1 and 2
Since landing in Kigali, I instantly realised how far away from home I felt, both literally, and in terms of exiting my comfort zone, travelling solo to volunteer at a school where I had not yet met anyone. The majority of my first day was spent collapsed in my room, catching up on sleep, before visiting the school for the first time for dinner in the evening. I was so grateful to feel instantly welcomed by students and other volunteers alike as soon as I arrived at the school, which set the tone for what has been a very entertaining, albeit slightly chaotic first two weeks.
I am volunteering as an intensive maths teacher, for girls who have been out of education for years and need assistance getting to the same level as their peers, meaning I spend 5 hours a day, 5 days a week with just two classes in the same room, providing questions and solutions for the girls. This felt very daunting, and my lack of experience as a teacher made me concerned that I would struggle, but I pushed through that doubt to create some worksheets and a lesson plan that were well received. I have developed a really good relationship with the students - bringing fun into my lessons and keeping them engaged and smiling throughout the long hours of maths, which I feel especially proud of. That being said, the girls themselves are incredibly driven and it is such a privilege to educate these students who are so passionately motivated to learn. Every day I have gone in to volunteer, I have felt closer with my students that I am teaching, and got to know others that I have played football with at lunchtime, and I have now offered and from tomorrow will be running football and cricket practice after school on alternating days throughout the week, which I am really excited for.
The biggest challenge for me was not what I expected. I did not anticipate that teaching would come very naturally to me - I thought I would be very nervous and struggle with the girls' questions, but I feel as though I have managed to provide good, challenging problems, and explain things well and in a helpful way, slowing down where necessary when language provides somewhat of a barrier. I have heard from the other volunteers that the girls have been really enjoying my lessons and talking about them so I feel incredibly proud of the impact that I am already having, which is so fulfilling.
My biggest challenge I have faced was a physical one - in attempting to try local food, I ate something that gave me really nasty food poisoning, leaving me stuck in a hotel room for about 4 days. This was naturally very upsetting as it is never fun to be stuck indoors, and I was missing out on days that I would have loved to have been exploring the city more. Additionally, somewhat personally I set the goal for myself of using my time away to quit nicotine - a bad habit I picked up during a stressful point in my life that I had not put in the effort to quit before. This was somewhat of a challenge for the first few days, as I was experiencing physical withdrawal symptoms, and my resilience was tested, but I have managed to achieve that goal and been clear of it, which I can already feel the health benefits of, which I am also very proud of.
The happiest moments I have had of these first two weeks were all found in very different contexts. I have been really enjoying watching the world cup, and talking to locals and other tourists while watching the games. Additionally, I went on an incredible safari on a weekend day with many of the other volunteers, which was just incredible, and I was able to see elephants, rhinos, lions, zebras, giraffes, hippos, and many more incredible animals which was just breathtaking. However, as absolutely incredible as that experience was, the happiest I have been was in hearing from different volunteers the praise the girls have had for me as a teacher, with girls from other classes also coming along to join my lessons. The final moment that made me especially happy in these first two weeks was after calling my mum back at home, talking about a lot of the challenges I have faced, with illness, being forced to change my dissertation (losing many many hours of work in the process), and a relationship ending. What made me so happy was that she was worried that these things would drag me down somewhat, and yet I have felt truly happy and like I am doing good and proud of who I am being here, and that is an incredible feeling to have.
I felt being curious was the most visible in my leadership this week - I have been asking lots of questions and getting involved in lots of things that I otherwise might not have. I think my resilience has been tested a few times this trip, and I have faced a setback with a major academic setback regarding my proposed dissertation, and a large personal change in my life, and yet above all else I feel energised and proud that I have stayed positive throughout. I feel as though leading with support has characterised my role as a teacher, and I hope next week to increase my role of leadership by organising football practice sessions, and encouraging people to come along.
I look forward to the challenges and new opportunities that next week will bring!
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Dear Albert,
Thank you for sharing such an honest, thoughtful, and uplifting reflection.
What hit me most was not simply what you have been doing in Kigali, but how much you have already grown through the experience. Arriving alone in a completely unfamiliar environment, stepping into a teaching role for which you felt underprepared, and then finding yourself thriving in that environment demonstrates a significant degree of courage and adaptability. Many people would find teaching mathematics for five hours a day daunting, particularly when working with students who have experienced interruptions to their education, yet it is clear that you have embraced the challenge wholeheartedly.
I was particularly pleased to read about the relationships you have built with your students. The fact that you are finding ways to make lessons engaging and enjoyable, while maintaining high expectations, speaks to an important aspect of leadership: creating an environment where others can succeed. The feedback you have received from fellow volunteers and the enthusiasm of students from other classes suggest that your impact extends beyond simply delivering content. It sounds as though you are helping to build confidence, motivation, and enjoyment of learning, which can be just as important as the mathematics itself.
As you continue your Leadership in Action journey, I would encourage you to reflect even more explicitly on your leadership development. You note that teaching came more naturally than expected, which is a fascinating insight. What do you think this has taught you about your own leadership style? Have you discovered strengths that you were previously unaware of? Sometimes our most significant leadership growth comes not from overcoming our weaknesses, but from recognising capabilities we did not know we possessed.
I was also impressed by your reflections on resilience. Between the food poisoning, challenges surrounding your dissertation, significant personal changes, and your decision to quit nicotine, you have experienced more than your fair share of obstacles during your first two weeks. What stands out is not that these challenges occurred, but how you responded to them. Leadership often reveals itself most clearly during difficult periods, and your ability to remain positive, purposeful, and focused on supporting others despite these setbacks is something you should be proud of.
Your plans to organise football and cricket sessions also provide an interesting opportunity for leadership reflection in the coming weeks. Similarly to the classroom, sport often requires leadership through encouragement, inclusion, motivation, and relationship-building. I would be interested to hear how you approach bringing people together, creating a positive team culture, and encouraging participation from students with different levels of confidence and experience.
Finally, I was moved by your reflection on speaking with your mother. The observation that, despite a series of personal and academic challenges, you feel genuinely happy and proud of who you are being while in Rwanda is a powerful one. Leadership is not only about what we achieve, but also about the kind of person we become through our experiences. That sense of purpose, perspective, and self-awareness comes through very clearly in your writing.
This is an excellent start to your LiA reflections. You are already demonstrating many of the qualities we hope to see in Laidlaw Scholars: curiosity, resilience, humility, service, and a commitment to supporting others. I look forward to hearing how your teaching, sports activities, and understanding of leadership continue to develop over the coming weeks.
Best wishes,
Ben
P.S. For maths resources, there's a larger treasure trove here: Videos and Worksheets – Corbettmaths