A man sits near a brick wall while looking down at a phone in his hand.
Raymond providing a lesson via audio. Photo: WFP/Badre Bahaji.

With the increased spread of COVID-19 and the negative effects casting a rather gloomy shadow on the future, educator Raymond from Dzaleka has taken a proactive approach to teaching. When schools were closed for seven months and he could not teach at the local secondary school within the camp, he began providing lessons free of charge, via messaging app, to people that usually cannot access formal education. The lessons, covering a wide range of topics, are provided through audio and video recordings and have reached over 190 learners since he started.

“I have had students who managed to learn English, driving or computer skills,” says Raymond. He hopes providing these basic skills and training to people who would otherwise not be able to access them will enable them to build better lives for themselves. “It’s tough to build your life in the camp and even worse without any form of education, training or skills. But with these skills, I know some people will be able to find a way to make it work.”