The COVID-19 era has stolen so much from private school teachers globally, especially in the African states where various governments continue to sit on the fence in this time of need. Since March, all schools have been closed, but no government is thinking about the private teachers’ plight. This is a year of political campaigns for the presidency in different African states, but who can vote on an empty stomach? The politicians have not thought of the teachers who raised their ladders to what they are today, from preschool to tertiary level.
Whoever said teaching is a Nobel calling? By the time the teacher’s lockdown ends, no teacher in their right senses would put all their eggs in one basket like before. Nothing was put in place to see that they are taken care of; instead, they were left in the cruel hands of starvation, hopelessness, and dilapidation. Many teachers in Uganda have committed suicide, but there is always a ray of hope if one looks around with throwing in the towel.
The results were catastrophic as COVID-19 struck Africa. Some people were more devastated by the epidemic and attempted to cope with it than others. Some have subsequently switched to agriculture, laundry, and street hawking. There have been acts of generosity towards ordinary people through these perilous times. Check out how African kindness dried a teacher’s tears.
The Plight of Private School Teachers
The situation has been overwhelming, triggering several tears–even in the Nigerian capital of Abuja. Akindele Oluwasheun Oladipupo and other teachers had every intention of getting schools to re-opened for exams. However, the trauma was just too much since the government disrupted this decision. Akindele, married with three kids under 8, got stuck with the surprise of trying to digest the news. Tears streamed down his face.
“My wife said to me, ‘Don’t cry, it’s okay, we’ll somehow manage.”
Yet think about the other teachers and their families without food to eat. Often, both wife and husband are teachers. That’s all the family’s income flushed away.
The Crying Teacher
Unable to endure his economic burden and for other teachers, Akindele spilled his sorrow onto a video which he later posted. It went viral, gaining him the so-called name “the crying teacher.” Akindele said he recorded it, expecting to inspire people to support private teachers in need. Lara Wise, a Nigerian journalist, started a Facebook campaign to discover Akindele and persuaded him to publish a second video with his account specifics. Funds flashed in from all over the world. Swamped with kindness, Akindele offered to donate over 1.2 million Naira of the money he received ($3,100; £,400) to hundreds of disadvantaged teachers.
OUTBURST OF A PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHER.
Please there is no best time other than now to reach out to them. Most of them have not been finding it any easy.
Cc:@segalink @DrJoeAbah @DrCOmole @BhadmusAkeem @tysalihu @Naija_PR @amandachinda_ @ayemojubar @vogunyinka @lotufodunrin pic.twitter.com/dRK0LO0tLU— OLAWOYIN Edris Busayo,anipr (@Olawoyin4u) July 10, 2020
“I said to myself that God has tested me and has opened a way for the money to come in. If I sit on that money, it means I’m sitting on my children’s destiny. That’s how we started looking for teachers who were struggling. We reached out to over 200 teachers and gave them money and enough foodstuff, including rice and spaghetti.”
‘God bless Akindele’
Akindele soon understood the magnitude of the issue when he began delivering relief items. Many Nigerian teachers started looking for him for support.
“It was tough seeing elderly teachers who had given many years of service to the profession pleading for food.”
Facebook was packed with praiseful comments, threads of the crying teacher, and condemning governments for ignoring the private teachers’ plight. Besides, many across the African continent survive on the generosity of others. Many frontier workers have served and sacrificed, particularly the medical personnel who have saved countless lives during this epidemic.
One Nigerian said: “shame on the politicians who eat this country dry. If a man who receives grace from God can do all this, all those men in Agbada (flowing robes), and those women hiding under [social media] filters, should bury their faces in shame.”
“God bless Akindele immensely,” wrote another. “May God remember and help many who are ashamed to cry out publicly… who are dying in silence.”
Africans are Great People
“Africans are great people. That’s what I’ve seen in these past three weeks. People I’ve never met in my life helped without knowing me or where I originate. They don’t know if I’m a scammer or fraudster – but they have been sending money to my account. I’m very grateful to them all,” Akindele says.
Michael Munene was also lauded in Kenya for his attitude of sharing during the disease outbreak. Having been raised in an impoverished household, he understands what starvation and deprivation are when he barely manages a single meal each day. He kept lagging on rent as he began doing odd jobs to survive.
“Early one morning, my landlord waited for me to use the bathroom outside the house and quickly locked me out of his house because of rent arrears. Stuck outside with no clothes or money, I swore to himself never to let anyone else suffer such humiliation.”
Nowadays, Michael has almost 30 apartments he rents out. When his tenants’ income dropped during the Coronavirus pandemic, from May until now, he offered them a holiday off pay, which he will not charge until everything is good again.
“It’s bad for my business, but I can’t bear the thought of homelessness. I’ve told my tenants that they should focus on finding food for their families for now.”
Love Looks Around to See Who is in Need.
In Accra, Ghana, Elizabeth Yawson’s thoughts shifted to the poor homeless on the streets when the government declared the city under lockdown. The feedback was positive as the radio reporter started an online effort to support disadvantaged people.
“People responded generously, and we were able to feed about 100 people for one week. I later got the support of two restaurants, and we reached out to 30 health workers at a hospital in Kasoa, in the central region of Ghana, giving them free lunch for an entire week.”
As demonstrated by Akindele, Michael and Elizabeth are a spirit of shared humanity and shared responsibility (Ubuntu). Reports of their acts and other similar deeds have raised many souls in Africa.
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