New Website Launched
You may have noticed that it’s been a while since our last newsletter. That’s because our staff have been locked away working on our brand new website!
Long time friends of Travel to Teach will know that is the 3rd generation of the website and has come along was since it’s humble beginnings way back in 2002. I’m sure you’ll agree that the new look Travel to Teach website is fantastic with its improved layout and easy navigation. A huge thanks to our wonderful designer Natalie, our technical genius David and our content editor Renee for all their hard work.
It's Time For Africa
As the World Cup frenzy starts to die down Travel to Teach are thrilled to be sending our first volunteers to Africa.
Starting programmes in Africa has been a long term aim of Travel to Teach so we are thrilled to be welcoming our first volunteers to work in schools in Accra, Ghana.
Sub Saharan Africa has long been a focus point of aid initiatives and thanks to the wonderful work from such organisations such as UNICEF huge steps are being made to meet the UN Millennium goals. One of these steps was to abolish school fees and levies, since doing so these African nations have seen an incredible influx of children wanting to enroll in school.
This fantastic news is currently mired by the intense pressure that all these extra students are placing on the countries’ infrastructure. With millions more students to support Ghana and Uganda are in desperate need of teachers. We hope that by sending our volunteers we will be able to support some schools while giving people the opportunity to explore these wonderful countries.
Volunteer of the Month: Anthonia Pichel
Since her arrival in Ubud, Bali Anthonia has a whirlwind of activity. As a teacher Anthonia’s skills have been in great demand and she has given them in abundance. Working closely with the local school teachers, Anthonia has visited several local schools to help teach and to gain an understanding of the Indonesian education system. She has then used this to design a complete curriculum for the Slukat Learning Centre.
In addition to all her hard work Anthonia also, very kindly, donated a significant sum of money to the local orphanage after it was severely damaged by rainfall. Very rarely does a volunteer make such an enormous impact in such a short space of time. Thank you Anthonia, we will miss you!
Travel to Teach Appeal
After extremely heavy rainfall in Bali the Yappenatim Orphanage has been severely damaged. Much of the complex which includes a school has suffered terrible damage and the building desperately needs repair to prevent further water damage. Travel to Teach and our partner foundation The Shining Education for Balinese Kids will be contributing to the repair effort. Any help in form of donations is needed and much appreciated. If you are in a position to help please contact henning@travel-to-teach.org
Rice Planting Festival
Kong Kaen university recently invited Travel to Teach volunteers to take part in a festival based around rice and the process thousands of Thai farmers undertake regularly of transplanting the young rice plants from nurseries to rice fields. A combination of a wet morning and getting up at 7.00 a.m. on a Sunday meant that initially there were a few tired faces, but after a breakfast of rice (of course) and chicken, everyone was ready for action.
By the time the competition to see which team could transplant the most rice seedling came around, everyone was raring to go. Although the Travel to Teach volunteers were by far the quickest, this unfortunately meant that half the seedlings floated to the surface of the water after two minutes, woops!
Everybody had a great time and it gave a wonderful insight into the workings of Thai rice farming, such an integral part of Thai culture.
New Sihanoukville Campus
Future Travel to Teach volunteers will get the chance to work in the new Sihanoukville campus! The new campus is part of the expanding project, allowing more space for more children and new endeavors. All of our volunteers did a great job throughout the move and have been instrumental in making the transition to the new campus a success.
Madeline, our Sihanoukille coordinator told us "We've been battling heat, illness and exhaustion but have all come out with a smile and a renewed commitment to helping provide more services to more children and families. We are all really excited to see what the future will bring!"
Please mail your comments on this newsletter to Travel to Teach.