By Julia Tofan
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Teachers provide the foundation for nurturing the future. Their impact is not only felt by the students they work directly with, but by their community as a whole. Givology wants to celebrate that.
Givology partner, [url=https://www.givology.org/~tltrust/]Tea Leaf Trust[/url], works in remote Sri Lankan tea leaf picking villages to make education more accessible. One of the organization's most successful initiatives is a teacher-training program. The program empowers young adults in the area by training them to teach the poorest children in their own communities. The teaching program benefits both the teachers and the students. But what is more, their teaching provides children and young people hope for the future.
Tea Leaf Trust reports that over 80% of the children in the village live on less than $1 a day, the UN indicator of extreme poverty. They face great challenges, which include high rates of suicide, emotional health issues, violence, and alcohol abuse. It's hard to be positive when facing such difficult circumstances. However these teachers and students are resilient change makers. Ruth, a student in the teacher training program, writes "I've met so many friends and I am able to share my feelings with them. They are just like a family. The teachers, their kind smiles, the way they think about us, I'll never forget it. It makes me feel new." Mr. Visventhan, a teacher, believes "Life to me feels like a miracle when changes happen as a result of our commitment and hard work." The teaching program allows students in the area access to quality education that the community did not have before. The certified teachers provide the students with the confidence and nurturing they need to reach their goals. The students say that they previously had no sense of control over their fate and no sense of hope, but the support of their teachers have inspired them to be proactive about changing their lives.
In honor of the teachers at Tea Leaf Visions, as well as the teachers around the world, who change our lives in so many ways, Givology is excited to launch our #myfavoriteteacher campaign between August 10 and September 10! We envision a world in which all children have access to education, and we know teachers are crucial to accomplishing that goal. We're asking you to share your stories, thoughts, photos, or videos on [url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/Givologys-myfavoriteteacher-campaign/1619406378309930]Facebook[/url], [url=https://twitter.com/givology]Twitter[/url], and/or [url=https://instagram.com/givology/?hl=en]Instagram[/url], with #myfavoriteteacher. Whether your favorite teacher taught you something new, made you laugh, or inspired you, we want to hear about it--and don't forget to spread the word by tagging 3 friends! For every story shared, donors have pledged a certain amount of money ([url=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Vxhr8tGxCiuu6-EfA91-bpeYXPwLFMzYg7ROx1SOvgo/viewform]Click here[/url] to make a pledge too!). That means just by sharing your story you can help fund education in the developing world and recognize your favorite teacher.
If you feel inspired by the teachers at Tea Leaf Trust, [url=https://www.givology.org/~ceproject/]click here[/url] to support the teacher training program!
17 AUG 2015