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Celebrating the East Africa Waldorf Teacher Training Journey.

The East African Waldorf Teacher Development Programme has been a cornerstone in advancing Waldorf education in the region since its inception in 1997. It began with the visionary leadership of Adeline Mlai, a Tanzanian educator who recognized the profound developmental value of Waldorf education. Adeline’s determination to bring this unique educational approach to East Africa led her to invite Peter van Alphen and Ann Sharfman, experienced Waldorf teacher educators from Cape Town, South Africa, to collaborate on a teacher development initiative in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

The programme was designed to equip teachers from Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya with the necessary skills and understanding to bring Waldorf education to life in their classrooms. However, after the first year, the programme faced financial challenges that threatened its continuity. In 1999, a strategic decision was made to relocate the programme to Nairobi, Kenya, a more central location for participants from the three East African countries. The Rudolf Steiner School in Mbagathi graciously stepped in to secure funding, ensuring the programme’s survival and growth.

In the following years, the programme thrived, attracting an ever-growing number of teachers from across East, West and South of Africa. After many years of successfully training teachers, another strategic decision was made to invite experienced local teachers to participate in delivering the training. This move ensured that the programme was not only regionally relevant but also sustainable in the long term. Today, the teacher training programme is run by local teachers who deliver both the kindergarten and primary school modules, embodying the region’s growing capacity to foster and sustain Waldorf education.

Our grateful thanks go to Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung, BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany) Zukunftsstiftung Entwicklungshilfe (Bochum, Germany) and Freunde der Erziehungskunst Rudolf Steiners (Berlin, Germany) for their continued support of the programme since 1999. We also wish to thank Sanduko a Ndege (Vejle, Denmark), Internationaal Hulpfonds (Amsterdam, Netherlands), Acacia (Basel, Switzerland), and Stichting Helias (Netherlands) for their additional support.

The East African Waldorf Teacher Development Programme stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and commitment. It continues to shape the future of education in the region, ensuring that children in East Africa benefit from the holistic, child-centered approach of Waldorf education, now led by local experts.

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