When I was in Sabah last week, I met others who were also involved in helping educate poor children. Though they had sufficient funds for their projects, they were unable to sustain or expand their work because of the lack of committed teachers.
Their lament was “After a few weeks, the teachers get tired of going all the way to the village to teach the kids.” Sustainability is a common problem in charity work. Many people like to help the poor but to help them day in and day out for years is another story altogether!
Goducate realizes this and therefore believes that where possible we should focus on training locals (ie, people who live in that village and who have a on-going interest in that village) to do the work.
Goducate also believes that mothers have the greatest commitment to see children get educated, especially if some of their students are their own kids. Therefore, where possible Goducate trains local mothers as the teachers in each of the Goducate Learning Centers.
This policy has worked thus far and allows Goducate to expand its learning centers. Thankfully most villages thus far have mums who have received education because they received education in the Philippines before they fled to Sabah to escape the strife in southern Philippines.
Goducate concentrates its efforts on training the mums. On each of my visits there, I am so impressed with the interest of the mums to learn more – so that they can be better teachers to their own kids in their own kampongs. On this trip we had a training session that lasted from 730am to 4pm. I was worn out but for them it was another opportunity to learn!
I am convinced that mums make the most committed teachers.
Goducate is privileged to work with mums!