“Kalkidan doesn’t deserve to be in the top group, she’s not clever enough!” exclaimed one of the teaching assistants. I have heard comments such as this over the past few years and it has helped me to understand that Ethiopian teaching professionals may often judge a child on how smart they appear. As there was so much amiss with this statement in my own culture I probed deeper. “How do you know?” I enquired. She found a book and showed me the evidence. “Their hand writing is untidy, look.”

I explained about taking a child on from their starting point, differences in strengths and weaknesses across the curriculum, and development of fine motor control related to age. But it didn’t change the conviction.

I need to have empathy. As a child these same professionals may have grown up through the Ethiopian school system where 60 children to a class is the norm. Once they themselves hold a position of authority in a school, they are likely to find those children who apparently apply themselves to their studies and produce neat work easier to handle.

In addition, the stakes are high here, where education can be a stepping stone out of poverty and a matter of honour for the family; one reason why children sponsored by “Compassion” include their percentage exam results and position in class frequently in their correspondence.

So, I will continue to model valuing each unique child, and hope that over time this makes a positive impression.

I witnessed a practical example of the impact that new experiences can have when introduced from another culture during a Y’tesfa Birhan session recently. A group of volunteers visiting from a church in the UK had come to take the session. Our youngest girl was quivering with excitement as one of the group painted her nails. However, once she saw the craft that they had devised, which was printing hearts for Valentine’s day with glittery pink paint, she ran over and kissed the paper with delight. As the paint was still wet, she lifted her face to reveal a rather endearing, glittery pink smile.

Finally, as a person who appreciates clothes being displayed attractively in shops, I am fascinated here by the often, off-white plastic manikins used in local “souks”, where the mantra seems to be display as much of your stock at once as possible. I therefore very much appreciate one local “souk” where the display is constantly changing and shows creativity and inventiveness in attracting customer’s attention. Judge for yourself!