Our Teacher Exchange program allows Ugandan and international educators to create teaching partnerships with their counterparts, and exposes students to a world outside their borders. The program brings secondary school teachers abroad to team-teach and interact with Ugandan teachers for six weeks every June and July and sends Ugandan teachers to the U.S. to do the same in each December. By participating in the program, both Ugandan and international teachers expand their skill sets, share ideas, and improve their teaching methods.

The most recent batch of teachers in the Teacher Exchange arrived this week. They will be teaching alongside Ugandan educators over the next six weeks, learning about education in northern Uganda and engaging in a mutual exchange of knowledge with their partner teachers. This week, they have been exploring the town, learning about the culture and Invisible Children Uganda’s development programs before they move to their teaching sites.

Today, the teachers visited Mend to learn more about one of ICU’s livelihood programs – and to enjoy some impromptu dancing with the seamstresses.

Jolly shared the history of Invisible Children Uganda (ICU) and the current status of education in northern Uganda. “Teachers around the world are the same,” Jolly welcomed the teachers. “The human connection is what is valued.”

Jane is a teacher from Longbeach, California who has been teaching in London for the past 2 years. She saw the Rough Cut in 2005 and showed it to her students, telling them to “help in any way you can.” For Jane, the Teacher Exchange presents the opportunity for her to help in a way specific to her skills.
“More than anything, I’m here to learn, “she said. “I want the experience of being a student of another culture.”