GLOBAL LITERACY PARTNERSHIP

1. GLOBAL LITERACY PARTNERSHIP

OUR GOAL: to enhance the reading comprehension, speaking, listening, and writing skills in African languages, English, and French of K-12 students in Africa and in the United States.

HOW DOES IT WORK?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Each week, we offer an online reading fluency and writing workshop. An Empowering African Youth staff member or volunteer reads aloud for 30 minutes  in several African languages such as Ewe, Bambara, etc, and in the student’s academic language (English or French), whether to an individual, a small group, or a classroom, using Zoom or WhatsApp video chat.

Sign up to be a volunteer Literacy Coach.

Volunteer PositionsLiteracy CoachGlobal Literacy Partnership ObjectivesWith your enthusiasm and compassion, help a K12 student and classroom in Africa and in the US improve their reading fluency and conversational fluency in English, French, and African languages through weekly meetings via Zoom.Key Responsibilities

1. Attend a kick-off meeting (remote) led by a Empowering African Youth’s Global Literacy Partner Coordinator

   1. Lead weekly 30 minute online conversation fluency or reading fluency to a student, small group of students, or a classroom.

   2. Check in with the Global Partnership Coordinator as needed

Time Commitment

1. 30 minutes/week session in either fall, winter, or summer

   1. 30 min/monthly check-in with the Global Literacy Partner Coordinator or as needed

Locations and schedule

1. Weekly 30 to 45-min remote meetings that fit both your schedule and the student/classroom’s.

   1. Sessions are held using Zoom video conferencing or What’sApp video chat feature.

SupervisorEmpowering African Youth’s Global Partner Coordinator, Amos Zonneme.Next Steps

Volunteer Literacy Coach: Please email our Global Partnership Coordinator, Amos Zonenme at amoszon@empoweringafricanyouth.org to receive a Volunteer Literacy Coach  application

2. GLOBAL CLASSROOM PROGRAM

OUR GOAL: to provide opportunities for K-12 classrooms in Africa to engage in authentic learning experiences with their peers in the U.S. This unique global collaboration enhances students’ content knowledge, social-emotional intelligence, communication skills, language acquisition, intercultural competence, and cultural responsiveness. Classroom partners can choose to participate on a grading period (9 weeks), semester, or year-long basis.

Why Should Your Classroom or School Join Empowering African Youth’s Global Classroom Partnership Program?

Your students will:

• Increase cross-cultural competency by appreciating and respecting diverse perspectives and worldviews.

• Make life-changing connections with grade-level peers.

• Collaborate on fundraising activities to support Empowering African Youth’s STEM programs in Africa.

• Earn 25 service learning hours per semester, which can count towards high school graduation.

• Investigate the world beyond their immediate environment by examining issues of local, global, and cultural significance.

• Communicate ideas successfully with diverse audiences.

• Become a writer or editor for Empowering African Youth’s monthly e-newsletter, Mother Queen Yaa Asantewaa Times.

• Sign up your Classroom or School and become a Global Classroom Partner

  Step #1: A K12 teacher, an assistant principal, or principal can request to become a Global Classroom Partner (GCP) by emailing Dr. Darius Coulibaly, at dcoulibaly@mpoweringafricanyouth.org or SIGN UP HERE

  Step #2: Our Global Classroom Partnership Coordinator will respond to your email and will schedule a preliminary partnership meeting.

  Step#3: Empowering African Youth will identify a partner school and another meeting will be arranged between our staff and the school administrators or designees to explore and create a classroom partnership plan, and a schedule of activities.

• For inquiries about our Global Classroom Program, please email Dr. Darius Coulibaly at dcoulibaly@empoweringafricanyouth.org

3. SERVICE LEARNING TRIPS TO AFRICA

REGISTER FOR A MEMORABLE SERVICE LEARNING TRIPS TO AFRICA: VISIT 3 COUNTRIES IN ONE TRIP

REGISTER FOR A MEMORABLE SERVICE LEARNING TRIPS TO AFRICA: VISIT 3 COUNTRIES IN A SINGLE TRIP

COST: Adult= $2,000. College Student: $1500. K12 = $1,000                                                                                                                               YEAR ROUND TRIPS: Our service learning trips are year round. Choose your dates, and we will make sure that you will have a memorable experience. Typically scheduled for 8 days; however, you may choose to extend it.                                                                      FUNDRAISE & FLEXIBLE PAYMENT:

• Use Empowering African Youth’s peer-to-peer platform and staff’s support to raise money to cover the costs of your trip.

• pay the non-refundable $500 three (3) months prior to your departure date.

• The remaining balance must be paid 30 days before your departure date.

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

1. Lodging in a luxurious airbnb staffed with a chef, translator, housekeeper, luxurious minibus with AC, washer & dryer,  a driver, access to Wifi, and private security.

     2. Airport pickup and  drop-off  & Welcome dinner (cultural festivity + food)

    3. Transportation to and from touristic sites within Togo, Benin, and Ghana, including but not limited to the Elmina Castle in Ghana, The Slave House at Agbodrafo in Togo, The slave house, beach, souvenir shopping at various outdoor markets, etc.

    4. You will help teach or participate in our STEM workshops, African languages (Ewe, etc.), English, French, math, reading circles, social studies, poetry, and youth leadership classes.

     5. Fun outing nights for adults

    6. 24/7 bilingual staff support

     7. Pre-trip Cultural orientation including learning basic conversational expressions in Ewe (language spoken in Tsevie, Togo) and French.

     8. K12 students will receive a certificate of 50 hours of global learning service, which could count towards high school graduation..

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED?                                                                                                                                        You are responsible for purchasing your airline ticket and visa fee ($57.91-107.55) to travel to Lome, Togo, (LFV Airport) via https://voyage.gouv.tg/. 

PREPARATION & PACKING LIST

1.  Pay your remaining balance:  Now that you’ve registered, you have until exactly 30 days before your trip to pay your remaining balance. Your remaining balance is payable online by clicking on Service Learning Trip payment 

2. Fill out the mandatory Flight Information Form: The Flight Information Form provides our staff key information about who, when, and how many need to be picked up at the airport. Please notify us if you plan to arrive a day earlier or return one or a few days later so that we can accommodate you. The deadline to submit your  Flight Information Form is 10 days before your departure date.

3. Check your passport: Make sure your passport does not expire for at least 4 more months. If it does, you will need to renew before your departure date. Our trip coordinator will email and call you to assist you directly with obtaining a visa to travel to Togo. Make at least 3 copies of your passport. Give one to your emergency contact and carry one with you at all times while traveling to and from Togo,  Benin, and Ghana.

4.Get traveler’s insurance: If your insurance doesn’t cover you while on your trip, we highly recommend the Volunteer Card for travel insurance. This card provides emergency medical insurance, baggage delay, emergency evacuation and more.

5.Register with the Department of State: Enter information about your upcoming trip on the Department of State website so that they can contact you in the case of an emergency. The address of where you will be staying is: Tsevie, Togo

6. Call your credit card company: Call your credit card company and inform them that you’ll be leaving the country. You can use all major credit cards (Visa, etc.) in Togo, Benini, and Ghana.

7.Emergency contacts: Give your parents/relatives/emergency contacts our direct phone number in case they need to reach us: + 228-90-97-31-34 If you get our answering machine, always leave a message as our staff will receive an alert if you do.

10 THINGS TO CONSIDER PACKING UP:

1. PASSPORT and photocopies

      2.1 bottle of sunscreen if your skin is sensitive to the sun

      3.Needed medications.

       4. Towels and toiletries (lotions, toothbrushes, etc.)

        5. Camera/cell phone and journal to capture images, videos, or write about your daily experience (if you choose to).

        6. Donations: If you have extra space in your suitcase, consider bringing a used but functional laptop,  iPad, laptop, STEM kit, or books to equip our STEM center and Learning Center.

       7. Bathing suit (we will take you to the beach)

      8.Hat, sunglasses, and sweatshirt/light jacket for cool nights.

      9. First aid kit: (Pepto/Imodium, Tylenol, Cortizone/anti-itch cream, Neosporin, Dayquil, Nyquil, etc.)

     10. English/French dictionary, preferred snacks, and flip flops.