Project – ADPP Teacher Training College in Bachil

18.03.2025 | By Claudia Sofia Pinto de Almeida Almeida

Hello!

We are two Portuguese women, Cláudia Sofia and Joana Pechirra, and we are about to complete our 3-month training at the Lindersvold School. We are filled with enthusiasm and ready to begin the project we will be developing over the next 6 months in Guinea-Bissau. This journey represents much more than just a professional experience – it is the realization of a dream and a greater purpose.

One of the motivations that brought us to this adventure was the deep desire to express our nature of “doing good.” We believe that each of us has the ability to contribute to a fairer and more supportive world, and this was the opportunity we found to put that belief into practice. Guinea-Bissau, with its challenges and potential, emerged as the ideal setting for us to make our contribution.

Another driving factor was our belief in the power of unity and the strength of people united by a common cause. We know that, alone, we can make a difference, but together, we can achieve even greater transformations. We believe that by working as a team with local communities, organizations, and other volunteers, we can create a positive and lasting impact.

The Project we are going to do parts is the ADPP Teacher Training College in Bachil, over the next 6 months, our goal is to contribute to the development of the communities where we will be working, whether through education, health promotion, the empowerment of women and youth, or other initiatives that arise on the ground. We want to learn from the people of Guinea-Bissau, share knowledge, and, above all, build bridges of solidarity and cooperation.

The goal of the ADPP Teacher Training College in Bachil is to prepare educators who are aware of and engaged with the Great Challenges of Our Time. This engagement is transformed into attitudes and skills that make them exemplary teachers for the youth of the 21st century. They are trained to work with dedication in rural areas, where the shortage of teachers is most severe, primarily due to the migration of professionals to Europe.

Primary school teachers play a crucial role in shaping a more skilled and prepared younger generation, contributing to improved living conditions, community development, and expanded educational opportunities for youth.

Being a Core Group Teacher at DNS means becoming deeply integrated into the daily lives of the students in your group, as well as the lives of all the students at the school. In partnership with DNS students, you will be fighting to ensure that children in Guinea-Bissau have access to qualified teachers in primary schools.

In this way, the values you bring to your Core Group and to the school include:

• Providing students with the opportunity to learn a new language (English) from us.
• Promoting cultural exchange between us and the students (since, as a DI, we live directly with them – we learn from them, and they learn from us).
• Developing interesting evening programs, in collaboration with students and teachers, that are both educational and entertaining.
• Teaching courses on major contemporary issues and encouraging reflective discussions with students.
• Organizing sports activities at the school and competitions with other schools in the region.

This experience is not just about what we can offer, but also about what we can learn. We are open to new challenges, new cultures, and new ways of seeing the world. We know that this adventure will transform us as much as, we hope, it will transform the communities we will work with.

At its core, this is a journey of personal growth, sharing, and commitment to a better world. We are ready to embrace this mission with open hearts and the certainty that, together, we can make a difference.