Hello, who are you?

I am Giselle, qualified in rural agri business and education leadership and management and, and lead trainer in pedagogical curricula of the national TVET Trainer Certificate of Rwanda. I have national certificate as a TVET Trainer and as Lead trainer in work readiness which has strengthened my ability in facilitating and delivering training workshop in both technical and soft skills. I am an expert agriculture content trainer and facilitator for different organizations and educational institutions with experience in trainers need assessments, training organizations, monitoring and evaluation, developing curricula, occupational analysis of the agriculture sector for the whole country, management, training, coaching and organizational development areas, facilitating seminars/workshops, instructional design, organizational survey skills, forming partnerships with international and local NGOs, matrix leadership and team development.

What are your roles and responsibilities as National Innovation Facilitator?

I have been a national innovation facilitator since August 2016. I completed the NIF training program, and contributed to the needs assessment for the Ruhango cassava niche and Burera milk niche. I also contributed to the development of coaching plans and facilitated coaching sessions for all three niches.

What has CDAIS changed for you?

My involvement in CDAIS changed the way I think. In the beginning I asked myself how a project that does not offer financial or technical support have a positive impact especially with local farmers who are always waiting for such support as from almost all other projects. However, with the CDAIS approach, I have realized that soft skills are so important, and once gained, can become key to resolving other issues especially when a platform is developed for all stakeholders with effective communication. Very interesting is the approach being used by CDAIS in participatory adult learning methodologies during the capacity needs assessments and coaching sessions across all niches. I have also changed the way my colleagues think on their ways of facilitating adult training. Before, they thought that each training need Powerpoint presentations, but after seeing the way I now facilitate using active learning methods with more engagement of participants and edutainment, most of them changed their facilitation methods in such sessions.