Our global campaign, Back to School Week, kicked off last week with a programme of events and activities running in schools across Togo, in West Africa. Back to School Week is all about building momentum and visibility for alumni work across the world, and sees weeks of intense activity of alumni going back to their schools, facilitated and run by our partners across the world. The events allow alumni to engage with their old schools and the students now at them, and gives them a chance to share their skills and enthusiasm to support the younger generation.
As the newest member of the team, joining in mid-April, Back to School Week has been a really inspiring insight for me into the impact alumni can have on schools. I’ve particularly loved seeing the photos and videos that have been coming in from our partners every day, bringing to life all the work that’s been happening. You can see what’s been going on by checking out our Twitter (@FutureFirstInt) and our Facebook page.
The wonderful Jumpstart Academy Africa, who we are partnering with on this campaign for the second year running, were first out of the blocks and ran a series of events across ten schools in Togo from 8th – 15th May. The week kicked off with alumni from CEG Vogan Ville 1, a school in the southern Togolese region of Vogan, going back to their school as football coaches, running coaching sessions and matches for 60 students. See a picture of one group with their alumni coaches below! Throughout the week we saw events where alumni shared their knowledge around a range of issues, from music and theatre, to agriculture. Alumni also ran events encouraging students to engage with and debate around issues such as sustainable development, engaging students and supporting them to explore their thoughts around certain topics.
Across the week alumni from across Togo worked with over 2,600 students, and both alumni and students were hugely positive about the events throughout the week, citing them as being inspiring and impactful for everyone involved.
Kodijo Bagna, an alumnus from Complexe Cadre des Elites in Vogan took part in an event at the school on Tuesday 9th May, which involved students being taught by alumni about music and theatre
He said of the campaign, ‘this is a project which has touched us a lot… Today, the kids have shown what they had hidden inside of themselves, through music [and] theatre… This shows how much former students like us can incite creativity in young people.’
Students and alumni celebrating Back to School Week at Ceg Hedjegan in Vogan Region, Togo
Samuel Ayivi, from Jumpstart Academy, who ran the campaign in Togo said the campaign to give back brought ‘a glimmer of hope for schools of Togo, of which many are in difficulty. The support of alumni for students contributes hugely to the quality of education schools are able to provide for students in Togo.’
Here at Future First Global, we’re really excited by the start Togo has made for the campaign, and are looking forward to updating you on events currently happening in Cameroon in next week’s blog!
If you have any questions around any of the work Future First Global does, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!