Maria Shabani
As we celebrate two years of Same Learning Center, we want to introduce you to a few of the students. Read about Maria Shabani:
The odds were against Maria Shabani. Growing up in rural Same District in a single-parent household, Maria lacked stability. She never attended the same school for more than two years, her exam scores were low, and she often acted out in class. Maria lacked the confidence and structure she needed to succeed.
But life changed for Maria in April of 2017 when she was selected to join the Same Learning Center after school program. The program gives her access to good teachers after school—an opportunity children from low-income families don’t often have—plus tools to increase her vocabulary and writing skills. She is also learning important life skills, which is something that is lacking in schools in Tanzania.
Today, just two years later, Maria loves to read and says it one of her favorite hobbies. Her grades have improved and she no longer acts out in class.
“I like after school because it is fun and you get to go with our teachers to learn about school subjects and life skills,” Maria says. “I like reading now and taking quizzes is not as hard since I started going to Same Learning Center.”
Although Maria doesn’t yet know what she wants to be when she grows up, she now has the opportunity to be whatever she sets her mind on. Through the Same Leaning Center program, she is gaining the knowledge she needs to succeed in school and the confidence she needs to succeed in life!
