Ethiopian Pilot
Prior to COVID, RICH LEARNING partnered with Leadstar Ethio-American School in Shashemene, Ethiopia to test our first 7-week pilot program in Africa. Staff included 8 American and 2 Indian teachers. They interviewed 85 young Ethiopian musicians, artists, dancers and theater people and chose 20 to join us in our first training pilot programs. 75 delightful childrenIn filled the air with music, laughter, and learning for 7 weeks, followed by an on-stage presentation for dignitaries from across Ethiopia. Guests from China, India and Canada joined to observe the experience.
HOST - Leadstar University, founded by Dr. Gemechis Buba, and LTV Africa hosted our pilot. Buba, a national television personality who teaches 17,000,000 Ethiopians each week via satellite and online, brought us to meet the President of Ethiopia to discuss future work there. Science Minister Abiy showed interest and later ventured to St. Paul, MN, to meet with our RICH Learning team. He later was elected Prime Minister Abiy and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.
Future projects and testing in Nigeria, Egypt and Ethiopia are under discussion.
Dr. Rich and Team Ethiopia were front row guests of the African National Union in Addis Ababa as they kicked off their pilot project.