This World Teacher Day we’re celebrating all the inspiring teachers we work with, who are busy sharing their knowledge and helping to improve the lives of others through the power of education. 

I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to learn how to teach, so I can in turn help others

Take Hamida (pictured) from Yahak, a small village on the side of a mountain in central Afghanistan. Taking part in our teacher training course has allowed her to teach twenty more women in her village, so that they can more effectively look after their livestock, provide their families with nutritious food, and earn money by selling the surplus in their local market.

“I am happy to be working to improve my community and most especially to be using my new skills to help other women. Knowing how to properly look after their chickens, and knowing how to make money from selling their eggs and meat, will really improve their own lives and the health of their families.”

Education means independence

Our thirty-five years of experience in Afghanistan has taught us that learning new things and developing skills is essential for empowering women - allowing them to become more confident and financially independent.

What’s more, as income earners, the women who take part in our courses are afforded greater respect in their families and communities, which gives them the opportunity to thrive and reach their true potential.

This also means that they will have more money to spend on daily essentials like food, hygiene and sanitary items, and warm clothing for the winter, as well as supplies and uniforms for their children so they can go to school. So by teaching a woman, you are helping her entire family.

Such initiatives are especially effective in rural areas, where education can be used as an invaluable tool in creating independent communities. “I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to learn how to teach, so I can in turn help others,” says Hamida, “If I teach them well, then they will be able to pass on their new skills to others. This is so important to ensure our whole community can improve.”

Do something amazing today: support a woman through teacher training and empower her to empower more women.

If you would like to help more women like Hamida achieve their true potential and lift their communities out of poverty, please consider a small monthly donation - it really is the most effective way to make a lasting difference.

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