TEACH South Africa recently partnered with Emzingo, who placed three MBA fellows at TEACH to assist in the development of an Impact Measurement Strategy. Isma Hussein (Malaysia), Leonardo Lima (Brazil) and Yuko Miyata (Japan) arrived at TEACH on the 11th of July for an intensive six week placement, where they worked amongst the TEACH team to collect information and develop their strategy.
Isma Hussein wrote about her experience: As part of my MBA course, I came to TEACH South Africa as a consultant to work on improving social impact measurement for the organization. I did not know what to expect. It was my first time in South Africa, my first time working as a consultant and my first time working in the education field. I did not even know if I belonged here, maybe I would be better off travelling around Europe during the summer like my classmates?
However, even on my first day at TEACH, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. We were welcomed by everybody at TEACH with open arms and with a lot of respect. While working there, I was impressed by how passionate the employees are about the mission of the organization, and their willingness to soldier on despite lack of resources. This feeling grew even more when my team and I met ambassadors who were assigned to rural schools. These ambassadors work in schools where infrastructure is lacking, where students are not focused or disciplined, or where their hard work is not appreciated. Yet, they still work hard to make a difference even if the outcome is not obvious. I felt that I could learn a lot from an organization that is doing impressive work in a country that has a great need for dramatic transformation in the educational field.
The objective that TEACH had for my team and I was a veritable challenge especially considering the context and environment of South Africa. However, we applied our skills and knowledge that we have gained from our diverse experience and came up with practical recommendations for the organization. In the process, we expanded our horizons and got out of our comfort zones. We can honestly say that working with TEACH is an unforgettable experience.