Welcome to South Africa!

This week on the Global Teachers Programme

Monday - Tuesday

Global Teachers (GTs) Ann, Carmel, Clare, Karen, Lisa, Loraine, Maire, Michelle and Vicky set off from Dublin airport last Monday afternoon, arriving in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Tuesday morning. They made their way to Centurion, where they were given a warm welcome by Gcina and Steve from the LCD South Africa head office. The GTs had previously worked with Gcina in Dublin at their initial pre-departure training weekend in April. 

The GTs were later joined by Arlene Walshe, GT Support, who will be providing advice and support to the teachers, and working with LCD South Africa over the next few weeks to coordinate the programme.

Wednesday - Thursday

The GTs participated in training sessions on health, safety and communication. They also learned about the work LCD South Africa does throughout the country, and how they can contribute to this work in order to improve the quality of education in South African schools. The GTs also met a Development Specialist from Irish Aid, the Irish Government's programme of assistance to developing countries, who spoke to them about the role of Irish Aid and the Irish Embassy in South Africa. The GTs also had an opportunity to learn some South African history by visiting the Apartheid Museum, and Soweto, a township that drew the world's attention in 1976 when mass anti-apartheid protests erupted.

This evening (Thursday), LCD South Africa CEO Steve Blunden will host dinner for the GTs and some LCD South Africa staff, before they depart for the Eastern Cape on Friday morning.

Friday - Sunday

The weekend will see the GTs arrive in the Dutywa District in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, their home for the next four weeks. The GTs will be staying with host families in different villages in the district. They have been looking forward to meeting their host families since they were introduced to them through photographs and short profiles at their second pre-departure training weekend in June. The weekend will be spent getting to know their host families and new neighbourhood.

Visit http://www.lcd.ie/ for more information about the Global Teachers Programme and Link Community Development.