The Foundation's new secondary school recently opened in Valentino Achak Deng's hometown of Marial Bai, Southern Sudan. During summer 2009, we assembled our first team of volunteer teachers that traveled to Sudan to help build capacity at the new school, assist with teaching classes, and work with the Sudanese teachers on professional development.
Volunteer teachers and administrators are needed during the spring and summer of 2010. Volunteers will:
-Offer classes to teachers in core content areas such as geography, chemistry, physics, economics, math, etc.
-Train teachers in teaching methods, act as a mentor and co-teach classes at the school.
-Help teachers with building the administrative structure of the school. (Creating guidelines, student/parent handbook, etc.)
Applicants with experience in administration and teaching at the high school level are encouraged to apply. Members of the Sudanese community are strongly encouraged to apply. Teachers in all major subject areas are needed, particularly in English, ESL, math, and sciences.
Dates and length of stay: During 2010, volunteer trips will be scheduled for spring (starting in April) and summer (starting late June or early July). Ideal stay is 8 weeks or longer, but please express your date preference and flexibility. Volunteers who are able to stay for longer periods will be given priority.
Language of instruction: English
Background:
The Valentino Achak Deng Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to quality education in Southern Sudan, where the school system was devastated after a twenty-year civil war that ended in 2005. The Foundation constructed a large secondary school in the village of Marial Bai – the first proper high school in the region – and the campus will also include a library, teacher-training college, community center, and sports facilities. The school opened in May 2009 with nearly a hundred students and will double in size in 2010.
Our founder, Valentino Achak Deng, was born in Southern Sudan, in the village of Marial Bai. He fled Sudan in the late 1980’s during civil war, when his village was destroyed by murahaleen—the same type of militia that terrorize Darfur. Deng grew up in Ethiopian and Kenyan refugee camps, where he worked for the UNHCR as a social advocate and reproductive health educator. In 2001 he resettled to Atlanta. Deng has toured the US and Europe speaking about his life in Sudan, his experience as a refugee, and his collaboration with author Dave Eggers on What Is What, the novelized version of Deng’s life story. As a leader in the Sudanese diaspora, Deng advocates for the universal right to education and the freedom of his people in Sudan. In 2006, Deng and Eggers established the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation to help rebuild Sudanese communities by increasing access to educational opportunities.
Qualifications:
-Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required
-Teachers’ certificate preferred but not required
-Experience teaching at the high-school level preferred but not required
-Members of the Sudanese community are strongly encouraged to apply
The Foundation will provide:
-Accomodations and meals in Marial Bai
-Airport pick-up/drop-off, and ground transportation within Southern Sudan
-Orientation and cultural lessons
-School curriculum, syllabus, and teaching materials
NOTE: Marial Bai is located in a very remote and rural region of Southern Sudan, so there are few modern amenities. However, our teacher accomodations (hut-like structures made with concrete) will be clean, dry, and comfortable. Marial Bai is a peaceful village located in a safe region of Southern Sudan, and the Foundation takes extra security precautions to prevent any safety risks toward volunteers.
Volunteers will be responsible for:
-Airfare (flights to Kenya or Uganda, plus two additional flights within Southern Sudan to reach our project site)
-Travel expenses while coming to and from Sudan
-Visa expenses
-Immunizations
-Travel insurance
-Personal expenses
(NOTE: If qualified volunteers are unable to cover these expenses, we can help you explore fundraising options to finance your trip.)
If you are interested in this volunteer opportunity, please send completed application, or a cover letter and resume, to the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation at volunteer@valentinoachakdeng.org
This book by Dave Eggers tells the life story of Valentino Achak Deng, from his pre-war life in southern Sudan to his resettlement in the United States.
