MAP is a practice-as-research project supported by the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) through the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) as part of a larger project entitled Changing the Story: Building Inclusive Societies with and for Young People in 5 Post-Conflict Countries. The aim of MAP is to work with young people, educators, cultural artists and civil society organisations to inform the National Curriculum Framework in Music, Dance and Drama in Rwanda. Championed by Dr. Eric Ndushabandi from the Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace and Dr. Ananda Breed from the University of Lincoln, MAP is working alongside partners including the Rwanda Education Board, Aegis Trust, Kwetu Film Institute, Sana Initiative, and Hope and Homes for Children to design and deliver project activities.  MAP activities include a curriculum workshop with cultural artists to inform the methodology, a training of trainers with educators to adapt the methodology to local and regional contexts, and a youth camp to train young people as facilitators and to work alongside the adult educators to develop drama clubs and to integrate the methodology into schools. In 2018, MAP was launched in the Eastern Province of Rwanda working with five schools, ten cultural organisations, twenty-five educators, and ten young people to design and deliver the MAP methodology. Following the training events, youth and adult trainers extended the training to an additional 62 educators and 526 young people. Due to follow on impact funding through the AHRC follow on impact fund, MAP will extend to the other four out of five provinces in 2019 with an anticipated reach to 25 additional schools, 100 educators and 40 youth facilitators who will train an estimated additional 250 educators and 2,000 young people; potentially reaching thousands more through curriculum resources.

Monitoring and evaluation through surveys, participatory observation and interviews with participants and stakeholders has evidenced that MAP: a) significantly contributed to learning processes; b) empowered adult and youth trainers with public speaking skills; c) increased the academic performance of students; d) improved communication and relations between students and parents; and e) enabled participants to identify and address community-based issues.

MAP provides training and skill building in Music, Dance and Drama alongside the development of safe, inclusive and progressive spaces for dialogue, active listening, and shared problem solving for peacebuilding. We are working directly with Sana Initiative to integrate mental health awareness and support during all activities. The partnership and co-investigation with IRDP will provide a link between the drama clubs and school initiatives with community-based dialogue groups.

MORE: Concept Note MAP (AB 21 2 19)