For the last five years now, Heather Lawrence has spend part of her summer holiday training teachers from the Community Schools we support in Zambia. In previous years , she has worked with teachers from the Luanshya area at Kachele farm, but this year, three others from the UK delivered a programme to these teachers designed to enable Lead Teachers to train others in their community and further afield. It has been immensely encouraging to see how these Lead Teachers have grown in confidence and skills since Heather's firet visit in 2005. They continue to listen to new ideas and take on board all suggestions readily. It is heartening to see they have implemented previous suggestions, adjusting them to suit their own circumstances.
From left to right: Blue, Jayne, Jo and Heather with Luanshya teachers
With Luanshya covered, Heather was able to train a group of teachers from Kitwe, north west of Luanshya. Most of these teachers are young but tremendously passionate about their pupils and their ability to teach them more effectively. It is hoped that the Lead Teachers in Luanshya will be able to include the Kitwe group in their future training.
On this trip, also for the first time, Heather trained a group of teachers from the schools we support in Kabwe. Here again the teachers were very enthusiastic to learn more and were especially keen to have resources to enable them to teach adults to read and write.
Heather with community school teachers in Kabwe
It is encouraging that we have donors in the UK who give faithfully and regularly towards providing monthly incentives for these incredible volunteers in Zambia. However, the number of teachers is increasing all the time so we are always looking for new sponsors so that all teachers will receive an adequate incentive for their selfless work.
Items for prayer:-
- funds to cover the extra teachers and the increase in food and fuel costs
- the health of the teachers and pupils
- the organisation and dispatching of resources out to Zambia
- the ability to provide the specific resources requested such as reading and writing materials for adults
- a volunteer to work with the teachers for an extended period of time