Interview with Designing for Impact course champion, Simon Peter Gana

Tell us about yourself and what you do?

I am Simon Peter Gana, an international education volunteer from the Philippines. I work as a Literacy and Numeracy Adviser at the Teacher Training College (TTC) De La Salle Byumba, Gicumbi District, Northern Province, Rwanda. I help TTC teachers further develop their professional teaching skills particularly in English and Math. I implement the project components Literacy, Language and Learning Initiative Project of USAID in cooperation with VSO Rwanda, KIE and EDC.

Why did you choose to undertake Designing for Impact course? What did you like about it? What did you find difficult?

I took Designing for Impact course because it directly addressed the work I am doing in Rwanda. The course gave me deeper insight and concrete directions on how to do my work better as an education trainer. I especially liked the course because it gave me concrete knowledge about how to establish a very feasible project that will eventually be beneficial to the community I serve. Although technical challenges are inevitable like poor internet connections, web system failure, time schedule and others, I still found time to really complete the course. As per the content of the modules, I did not find anything really difficult because they were presented in such a way that students will be able to really understand it.

You are our first Designing for Impact course champion. What did you learn from it? Are/have you implemented what you learnt? Is so, what are some of the immediate results you have seen?

Just like what I mentioned in my assignment, the course itself is what I am directly doing in Rwanda. It even made my work more meaningful and easier since the concepts shared in the course were concrete my concrete guidelines on how to better implement my projects about literacy and numeracy development. Currently, the English Communication Skills Modular Training is running very well and as the teachers said it, they really learned a lot from it and us able to help them develop their communication skills in English.

How would you describe AMI’s courses to someone who is taking them for the first time?

For first timers like me, AMI’s course came very helpful and handy in terms of providing pertinent information and knowledge to students especially in relation to the line of work a student is doing.

Which tools from the course did you find most helpful in your day-to-day work?

I found the concept mapping and deep dive strategy most helpful in my work as an education trainer.

How helpful was your buddy in your learning journey?

Unfortunately, my buddy was not able to cope up with the time needed by the course because of work elements as she is a disability program adviser in Nyagatare, eastern Province, Rwanda. But somehow, she was able to contribute good ideas in the completion of my course.

Do you plan to take any other AMI course? What would you be looking for in the next course?

Yes I do. I intend to finish a marketing course through AMI very soon.

Any other remarks?

Congratulation to AMI for this brilliant concept. I hope more students will engage in your programs that are truly helpful and beneficial! More power!