‘If seeing is believing, then experiencing is understanding,’ says Denise May director of sports at Budhaven Community School in the UK.

The British Council’s DFID Global Schools Partnership paired Budehaven Community School with Assossa High School in Ethiopia.

DFID Global Schools Partnership is a British Council-funded collaboration programme between schools in the UK and schools in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The programme provides advice, professional development opportunities and grants to schools that are using school partnerships as part of their curriculum.

According to May, the Youth Sport Trust’s Dreams and Teams project launched the partnership between Assossa and Budehaven last year.

‘The project was inspired by the Olympics due to take place in 2012 and aims to use sports as a vehicle through which to develop supportive friendships between schools in the UK and Olympic countries.

“Through Dreams and Teams, students are able to share their cultural traditions and learning experiences with one and other and resource sharing between teachers is facilitated,’ says May.

She says the staff and students of Assosa High School were hospitable during the visit.

‘We were looked after extremely well by sports leaders from the high school.’

May adds that a fun-packed programme of events was arranged in which Budhaven students collaborated with Assossa in planning a sports festival.

‘Our students were able to teach theirs a range of new sports, including tag rugby, ultimate frisbee, netball, rounders and good old-fashioned skipping. In turn, their students were able to share their traditional cultural dances and coffee ceremonies with us.’

The tour wasn’t only beneficial to learners, teachers also got valuable lessons, says May.

‘Our teachers were invited into lessons to observe teaching and learning and were able to teach lessons on English pronunciation with the help of our students, whose expertise as native English speakers was highly valued.’

May believes many strong links have been forged between staff and students, and the effect of these relationships will be felt in the wider community.

‘New sports have been introduced to the school, with the resources to support their development.

‘Our geography and English staff have made strong links with the Assossa staff, sharing resources and teaching styles, as well as future correspondence links between staff and students, enriched through the inclusion of Ethiopian culture and geography in England in the curriculum,’ she says.

‘The students were able to expand their sports leadership skills in many ways, through coaching, officiating, planning and planning a large sports and cultural festival,’ says May.

‘I feel the link has continued to support the incredible aspirations of the Assossa students regarding access to higher education. It has enabled young people from very diverse cultures to share life experiences and grow such warm friendships, breaking down stereotypes.’

Sharon Marshall, a teacher at Budehaven, says the trip brought a warm feeling to the school and wider community, with greater insight into global citizenship and a better understanding of the rich culture.

‘The displays and presentations to the school staff, students, parents and wider community have given them a rich vision of another way of life which is so distant from our own.’

‘It has enriched our curriculum in other subject areas, with real life examples, pictures, stories and artefacts to enhance student learning and understanding,’ says Marshall.

Marshall adds that her students have learnt about differences in culture, education, equality between the sexes and lifestyle and have made some friends for life.

‘The students and teachers at the school were so helpful and kind and we had so much fun just talking to them all. They made it so easy for us to come into school and get to know them all – for me the best experiences of the trip were these times and it is thanks to these wonderful people that our experience was so fantastic.’

Marshall was struck by the dedication and commitment of the Assossa students to improving their school, community and country.

‘They were so proud of these things but also absolutely dedicated to continuing their improvement, which provided such a contrast to the way things tend to work in England.’

According to Marshall, the strength and vibrancy of the Ethiopian culture was incredible to experience.

‘The students were so proud of their culture, they really understood and owned it and were so keen to share it with us. I really love the fact that for them culture and tradition are not things you pay to see in a museum, theatre or gallery but are an important part of their everyday life. It is everywhere, from simple things such as the food they eat and the coffee they serve their guests to the dancing they love so much and the music and colour that are everywhere, even in the streets.’

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