“Améliorer l’enseignement dans la région du Sahel” project [Strengthening Education in the Sahel Region], funded by the European Union and implemented by UNESCO, pays particular attention to highlighting the women who shape education in the region. Today, we share with you the story of Raïssa, a teacher who, through this project, is embodying change towards more inclusive and egalitarian education.
In the province of Bar El Gazal, in north-west Chad, Raïssa INBE crosses the streets of Moussoro every morning to get to her community school. Some 300 km from N’Djamena, the capital, teaching conditions are precarious, but her commitment is unfailing.
Being a teacher here is a constant challenge. The resources are limited and the numbers are high, but my pupils’ desire to learn is immense.
For years, Raïssa did the best she could with the resources at her disposal. But something was missing: concrete tools and an effective methodology to improve her teaching methods, capture her pupils’ attention even more effectively and give them every opportunity to succeed. When she was selected to take part in the communities of practice of the Sahel project, implemented by UNESCO and funded by the European Union, she saw it as a unique opportunity.
This project has come at just the right time. It responds to the challenges we face daily and provides us with concrete solutions.
From the very first sessions of the communities of practice, she discovered new teaching methods. The trainers do not impose a single model: they begin by observing, understanding existing practices and identifying the real needs of teachers. Then come the workshops: classroom preparation, learning management, student assessment. Raïssa learns to structure her lessons differently, to use approaches such as explicit teaching or the competency-based approach.
I used to do certain things instinctively. Now I understand better how to adjust them to my students and make them more effective.
But what really makes the difference is the follow-up. After each course, the trainers return to the classroom to observe and offer advice. An online platform also enables members of the communities of practice to exchange ideas, ask questions and help each other.
We are no longer alone in facing our challenges. Thanks to this platform, we can network, support each other and make progress together.
Little by little, Raïssa applies what she learns. Her classes are becoming more dynamic, her students more involved. At the end of the year, the progress is visible: better results, increased participation, renewed motivation.
Parents tell me that their children are more motivated, that they talk about school with enthusiasm. That’s the greatest reward for a teacher.
Today, Raïssa is sharing her experience with other teachers in her region. Her dream is for this initiative to spread throughout the country, so that every child can benefit from quality education.
Education is a powerful lever for change. I hope that this project will be able to reach even more teachers and pupils.
In her Moussoro classroom, this teacher does much more than impart knowledge—she changes lives.
Like Raïssa, more than 2,000 teachers in Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad have benefited from the activities of the project in 2024 project. Among them are 849 women, many of whom, like Raïssa, teach in rural areas and face similar challenges. Thanks to targeted training and personalised support, these teachers have acquired innovative teaching tools that have transformed their classroom practices.
The Sahel project places special importance to gender equality and the empowerment of women. Supporting women teachers, particularly in rural areas, means fighting for women’s access to education, training and professional integration. It also means working to ensure that girls have more opportunities to continue their education.
Girls are more likely to go to school, and their parents more likely to send them and keep them there, when the teachers are women, because they serve as inspiring role models and sources of encouragement. The presence of women on the teaching staff and in school management positions has a real impact on girls’ success at school and on reducing gender inequalities in education. ().
As we mark International Women’s Day, it is essential to highlight the fundamental role played by women teachers in building a fairer and more equitable society. The project supports their presence and active participation in schools and communities of practice, spaces that strengthen their skills, leadership and impact. By investing in these initiatives, we are contributing to improving education systems in the Sahel and guarantee equal rights and opportunities for all women and girls in the region.
