HATS OFF ... THE WORLD
AN EXHIBITION
Teachers Without Borders
Solidarity is the tenderness of humanity (J. Borges)
Teachers without Borders, LZG, headquartered in Ghent, www.lzg.be , is a volunteer organization that realizes educational projects worldwide. This encompasses teacher guidance, design of pedagogical tools and promotion of international partnerships.
A department of LZG national was located in Halle and a member of the Municipal Council for Development Cooperation. Since 2002, a great solidarity has grown among the Halle population in the development of the various education projects in Albania, Ukraine, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Rwanda. The municipality has supported the projects with € 8015 since 2002. Activities organized as part of Tournee Mondiale, Steunzool, Zonta and private donors have also contributed to successful realizations. In addition, we do not forget the donation from Halle schools after the earthquake in Pakistan, in the reconstruction of a secondary school. The projects always bear the name of "child" in the local language. A brief description of the projects implemented at the time:
The first small-scale projects organized by the LZG Halle were sports camps in Albania for Bosnian refugees and later for Ukrainian orphans. After that, the DYTYNA project in Ukraine arose: the establishment of a school for autistic and multiple handicapped children. Our motto 'teach the teachers' was applied: we tried to work on the approach to children with certain disabilities, as well as the organization of pedagogical-therapeutic groups, and the content and structure of the activities. Striving for the sustainability of the projects is a sin-e qua non. Excellent results were achieved here as a group of 10 volunteers (teachers, therapists, neurologists) traveled regularly during the school holidays to accompany the multidisciplinary Ukrainian team. The city of Halle sponsored a hydrotherapy bath. The center was taken over by a local educational institution.
In Pakistan we invested in an educational project SUDAYAK , a survival project for the Kalash minority in Hindukush. The Kalash people (Kalasha) are an indigenous minority of about 3500 people in northwestern Pakistan, NWFP, (Northwestern Territories) with their own language, their own traditional dress, their own nature religion with pagan rituals and a way of life that is close to nature. Two schools were financially supported for 4 years, textbooks - writing materials - wages of 4 teachers. The results of the exams, which are administered centrally by the Pakistani government, were excellent. A budget of 1,500 euros was needed to support a school on an annual basis. In May 2006, a computer center was also established under the flag of LZG. For many an absolutely revolutionary idea, but probably also very important for the economic opening up of the valley and increasing the resilience and employment opportunities of the Kalash youth. Isn't the culture lost because of that? Philosophically, however, this ancient culture is so deeply rooted in their perception of the world that the influence of tourism and advancing digitization is rather superficial and will leave the core of their ethical consciousness intact.
The PULLAK education project in Tajikistan supported the lives of the Jagnobes, a Tajik hill tribe whose Sogdian civilization covered much of Central Asia 2,500 years ago. Their civilization was founded in the 7th century AD. destroyed by the Arab invaders. In 1970 they were deported from Moscow to work as forced laborers in the cotton fields, where many of them died. After Tajikistan's independence in 1991, some 70 families returned to their original villages in the Jagnob Valley to save what was left of Sogdian culture. To help the survival of the Jagnoben culture, LZG Halle supported the re-publishing of textbooks in Sogdian and to finance the construction of a boarding school at an altitude of 2500 m. Construction was carried out in the traditional style by the local population.
An education project for Hazara widows was launched in Afghanistan. By setting up a literacy campaign and by creating jobs, the chances of a better life for the widows increased. The money raised was initially used for the modernization of an existing joinery. The women worked under a shelter, in winter with their bare feet in the snow. Rain and snow also damaged the carpentry equipment. Guidance for the literacy course, carpentry training and basic accounting course were part of the educational offer. See the VRT report above.
In Rwanda, 2 educational projects were running under the banner of LZG: “Young athletes Huye” is an athletics club for primary school children. With the help of two university students who are experienced runners themselves, 50 young people were coached on Saturday morning. The children walked 2 to 4 km to attend the training. The training program was drawn up by club members of OEH (Olympic Essenbeek Halle), and adapted by the Rwandan trainers. The National Rwandan Athletics Federation, which strongly welcomes the project, asked to set up clubs in some other cities in the Southern Province as well. The necessary annual budget: 1,500 euros payment for trainers, 1,500 euros for sports shoes and equipment and 200 euros for the purchase of water.
A second project, UMWANA means' child in Kinyarwanda ', supported in 2011 the orphanage' Children Village Kigarama 'Espérance', located on Lake Kivu in Rwanda. The group of orphans in Rwanda was very large. They are genocide and HIV victims. 127 children received care in l'Espérance. The age varies between newborns and adolescents up to 21 years of age. The children stayed in living groups to optimize social interactions and the sense of family. A group of 12 teachers, LZG Halle, prepared a social education project, which was implemented on site by six members during the summer holidays 2011.
The international projects were phased out in 2015, but a group of volunteer Halse teachers supports the OKAN classes in primary education in Lembeek and Alsemberg. Due to the corona, this operation is currently stopped.
I look back on the results of the projects with satisfaction! Thanks to all who contributed to this; it was fantastic.