Why sponsor a teacher?

Being a teacher in Afghanistan is one of the most responsible occupations you could find. Sadly, teachers do not get the support they should receive. Teachers' salaries are so low that many teachers have second jobs and often do not even come to school. Many lack the most basic education and are ill equipped even to provide teaching at primary school level.

The students at OPAWC's Vocational Training Centre are extremely fortunate to have the most dedicated and well trained teachers, who not only instruct them in reading and writing but also offer English and computer classes, delivering skills necessary to find a job. And they do that for the small salary OPAWC can afford from the funds received from SAWA (SA). Sponsoring one of these teachers will give them the security that their salaries will be guaranteed, no matter how SAWA (SA)'s funding for the Centre will develop in the future.

Other skills taught at the Centre cover sewing and embroidery, from which many women already built a solid income base for their families. OPAWC is fortunate to have highly trained instructors for these activities. Sponsoring one of the sewing and embroidery teachers will gurantee that this training continues.

Sponsorship conditions

A teacher's salary is about $250 US per month, which depending on the exchange rate corresponds to about $350 Australian. Sponsoring a teacher for a year therefore requires a commitment of about $4,150 over a calendar year. The teachers are keen to learn the personal circumstances of supporters in Australia who decide to gurantee their salaries, and sponsors can expect an enriching exchange of news and personal stories between the sponsored teacher and themselves.

Part-sponsorships are acceptable, at a rate you can determine yourself, the recommended minimum being 50% of the annual salary cost. Part-time sponsors will have the same information exchange with their sponsored teachers as full-time sponsors but have to accept that someone else may decide to co-sponsor the same teacher by covering the remainder of the salary.

There are two ways to set up a teacher sponsorship. The full or part-sponsorship support for a calendar year can be sent through at the beginning of the year as a once-off donation through the SAWA (SA) donation channel at GiveNow, or a regular monthly donation equivalent to the full or part-monthly salary support can be set up at the donation channel.