u Inora is a first grader at Langar
School in eastern Tajikistan. She
was proud to show off her colorful
socks, something commonly worn
by Tajik girls, and told CAI that her
favorite subject in school is Tajik
language class.
t Gulbekova Suratmo has been teaching children for
35 years, but said that after participating in a CAIsponsored teacher training course she once again had
hope for the future. “In 6 days here [at this training] I
have learned so much,” she said. “I am a new person
learning all these things.” Under the Soviets, teachers
were given 1-2 month long trainings, but these trainings were never interactive and teachers were never
allowed to practice what they’d learned in a classroom before returning home. Suratmo felt the handson approach taught by CAI-facilitators was much
more effective. It was her hope that the new teachers
would take the lessons to heart and put them into
action. Seeing such bright, young teachers eager to
learn gave her new drive and she hoped to pass on
some of the things she’s learned over the course of
her career to this next generation of educators. She
wrote “I am unstoppable” in her native language so
that her community will understand the importance of
the message.
FALL 2016
JOURNEY OF HOPE | 23