June 10, 2015

Breaking the isolation through education

tags:	#breaking the isolation, #free education, #Germany, #refugees, #Teachers on the road
located:	Germany
by:	Deniz Zehra Tavli

In spring 2013 the founders of "Teachers on the Road" started a tour through more than 50 refugee shelters throughout Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse. On this tour they encountered numerous defiancies: Fully overcrowded and and down-and-out camps, lack of medical care, no access to the Internet and often no way for the refugees to learn German. This means total isolation for people.

When they asked the refugees about their concerns the most frequently expressed desire was to learn German as soon as possible.
This is how Teachers on the road came to life. The aim is to break the isolation under which most refugees have to suffer and to allow them more social participation by learning the local language.

The project is now running for 2 years. In Frankfurt, Oberursel, Mainz, Darmstadt and Ludiwgshafen groups of voluntary teachers offer free lessons in German language 2-5 times per week for refugees. Since the start of the project a total of about 250 teachers teach refugees in Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate.

In order to expand the project to other regions of Germany and to carry out initiative events, "Teachers on the road" is dependent on donations. Also for the purchase of German books and to cover travel costs and printing costs for their self-created teaching materials, they are in need of funds. The project is constantly in need of people who would like to teach refugees in German or to assist them with administrative formalities or finding accommodation.

Support this important and meaningful project by donating or- if you are living in one of the German regions mentioned above- take action and become a teacher on the road!