Making a difference doesn't have to be complicated. Or expensive. Or flashy. Today, doing the doable for teachers at Nakivale was something simple - a place to sit. Somewhere to sit and gather as a team, or even just to rest, is so important anywhere you work. But at schools in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, they don't have a space all to themselves - they don't have a break room to take a load off every once in a while. Most of the teachers are just looking for a simple chair. This was a easy fix. A plastic chair doesn't exactly scream excitement. But the teachers here see things a bit differently. A place to sit means a place to be comfortable, to grade papers, to sit together for meetings or spend time together as a team. They're symbolic of something more - adding a missing piece of the puzzle that makes these teachers feel a little more whole. This day of change brought to you by Edmentum's We Can Learn Foundation … [Read more...] about Less is More

You can't picture a classroom without a blackboard. Teachers writing up notes for students to copy down and study, the faded marks of previous lessons still lingering on the board. At one school in Nakivale, they weren't quite living up to this classic ideal of what a schoolroom should be. “The students have been carrying the portable black boards to and from the classroom,” said Julius, the head teacher. And aside from having to move the chalkboards around, the permanent ones had large holes and were difficult to write on. With the right tools, anything is possible. What these teachers and students needed was something to make learning easy, not harder than it needed to be... We were on the case...new blackboards for the classrooms, pronto! Once the new boards were installed, it completely changed the look and feel of the room. Lots of room to write, no burden to carry the boards around, and a picture perfect learning space. “The size is now big enough so that the … [Read more...] about Making Things Easy

When you're feeling low, a little run down, sometimes the very best thing is to do something that makes you smile - that makes you feel refreshed. To tell yourself, let's start again. The teachers of Oruchinga Refugees Settlement have endless talents. But their access to supplies is not. They were feeling frustrated, like their hands were tied. What they needed was to hit the refresh button...a way to start the year off right. A boost in their teaching supplies was the name of the game. Books, colorful educational posters, and supplies to get their students' creative side switched on. These posters really brightened up the place. And books allow all the students to have their own reading material, and learn at their own pace. “This is very encouraging to us," said Dorothy, the head teacher. "We have a big number of learners and I’m so grateful for what they’re doing to succeed. They do their best tirelessly. And when I see someone considering teachers, it’s so kind. … [Read more...] about Hit the Refresh Button

Chances are, you're reflecting on the resolutions you'd like to make - and hopefully keep! - as we flip the calendar to 2019. We're all looking for new beginnings, to make this year our best year yet. Teachers in Nakivale Refugee Settlement want just the same. Today, on the eve of 2019, we're helping these teachers shift into high gear - and start pedaling their way to a new and brighter year. The teachers dreamed of having bikes. And for good reason! In Nakivale, bikes are one of the major ways people get around. If your only other option is walking across the settlement (which takes a couple hours to drive through) having a bike on hand can cut down your travel time in a big way. We all know that a teacher's time is precious...so if bikes help them feel a little more powerful, a little more equipped to face the challenges ahead, we knew the time was right to do something about it. As our truck pulled up to Ruhoko Primary School, filled to the brim with bikes, … [Read more...] about Their Best Year Yet

The teachers of Ruhoko Primary School deserve to be celebrated. They're world class, bringing their A game to their students in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. On Day 344, we showed the teachers at Nakivale's secondary school just how very lucky we are to have them. And the energy caught on...we wanted the teachers at Ruhoko to shine bright, too. Ruhoko's teachers now wear their bright blue shirts emboldened with "Teachers Change the World" proudly. Because they do change the world. And these fun shirts are a daily reminder for each teacher that their work is important. That they are making a difference. The t-shirts were a hit! Everyone wanted their photo taken in their new garb, gathering for a group photo. When people are this amazing, you really can't say thank you enough. Instead, it should be shouted from the rooftops! These shirts are one way to say thank you - and to show our deep appreciation, every day. This day of change brought to you by Edmentum's We Can … [Read more...] about Show appreciation, every day

On Day 351, we helped teachers in Nakivale Refugee Settlement get a good night sleep. Turns out, this was a popular idea. The teachers at Kayenje had the very same problem. So we stepped up to offer a solution. These teachers are working hard - and they don't have mattresses. Imagine coming home after a long day's work to sleep on an unforgiving tile floor? This simply wasn't good enough. A good night's sleep can mean everything. So today - we're helping them catch some real, quality Zs. We delivered mattresses straight to Kayenge. And the best word to describe their reaction? Gleeful! They jumped on them right away, testing out their springy softness. Hendoallen, the literacy teacher, said “when you have a lot of work and are tired, you can lay down and rest on the mattresses. And I will also use my mattress for doing work—lesson planning and marking papers. It is such a comfortable place to get all of our work done!” It seems like these mattresses will solve … [Read more...] about A Good Night’s Sleep