Our Teachers, Our Impact

In the words of Peter Tabichi, winner of the Global Teacher Prize, “As a teacher working on the frontline, I have seen the promise of its young people – their curiosity, their intelligence, and their belief.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted everything we knew. It has also taught us to adapt. Throughout the course of the pandemic, the education sector was particularly affected. Around the world, teachers had to re-adapt, re-align and re-learn some of the key tenets of what it means to be a teacher. They were challenged and, through those challenges, reaffirmed their place as heroes in our societies.

At Kepler, we value the impact made by teachers and recognize those who play an integral part of making Kepler what it is. To date, our teachers and facilitators have served over 4,000 students, with the goal of serving 25,000 students by 2026. In honor of World Teacher’s Day, we are excited to introduce you to some of our incredible teachers and to share their journeys.

Meet Euphrosine Cyiza who teaches at our Kiziba Program, and Yonas Mohammed Awol who teaches at our trainees in Ethiopia.

Euphrosine began her teaching career in 2006. “I had the chance to become a teacher at a private secondary school in 2006, and the students really loved the way I taught them French. I quickly found myself falling in love with education as a career,” she says.

As she continued to perfect the art of teaching, she was faced with significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Euphrosine had to adapt her teaching methods to accommodate remote learning and the new normal.

“The two strategies that I used during the pandemic were using the online Google Meet tool and requesting all students to turn on their cameras when sharing with their peers. I also sent my students reminders about the pre-class materials available on Google Classroom,” adds Euphrosine

Through these methods, Euphrosine continues to overcome challenges and encourages fellow teachers to be passionate about their jobs, as they are building a bridge to a better life.

Yonas Mohammed Awol’s passion for teaching emerged from the example set by his childhood neighbor, who was a teacher and a well respected change maker in their community. Yonas’ motivation to teach stemmed from seeing the behavioral change and understanding in his students – both towards their environment and opportunities.

As part of his role, Yonas enriches Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) graduates with soft skills, building their interpersonal abilities. Awol takes pride in what he does and believes that by impacting students, you can impact the whole nation.

“My message to fellow teachers is to strive to become better educators everyday and make a difference in the future of our students, the community and the country,” says Yonas.

The success of Kepler students is largely shaped by our teachers and facilitators. Thanks to their commitment to delivering 21st-century skills and knowledge, they are empowering a generation of purpose-driven leaders. Kepler’s academic model is competency-based through which students are given opportunities to demonstrate their learning, in real-world case studies and scenarios. We at Kepler learn by doing, and through this our teachers guide students in adapting a lifestyle of participation over apathy.

Today and always, we celebrate the millions of men and women around the world who play a vital part in expanding opportunity through learning everyday.