Without a teacher, you wouldn’t even be able to read this message you’re reading right now

I grew up with a mum who was a teacher, not the traditional classroom kind, but one who poured her heart into children through her Goodnews Club and as a Sunday school teacher. Watching her was my first real encounter with what it means to teach with purpose and passion. That was my first classroom.

Later, I became a trained teacher myself. And even though my career path evolved into the non-profit space, my work has always been rooted in education, helping more children go to school, stay in school, and thrive in school.

Through initiatives like our Transformational Teacher Training and Safer Classrooms Program, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with teachers across communities. I’ve seen their struggles, their sacrifices, their creativity, and their unwavering commitment to shaping young minds, even when the system doesn’t always treat them fairly.

I’ve seen the brilliance and resilience of teachers up close. I’ve met teachers who, despite having very little, create magic in their classrooms, turning bottle caps into teaching tools, using songs and games to bring lessons to life, and showing up day after day with smiles that hide their own struggles.

I’ve seen teachers who stay after class to tutor struggling students, who spend their own money on classroom supplies, and who become second parents to children who have no one else.

Yet too often, these same teachers are underpaid, overworked, and underappreciated. Sometimes, when teachers advocate for themselves, asking for better pay, resources, or recognition, people call them entitled. But the truth is, they are the backbone of our education system. Without them, no doctor, engineer, lawyer, or leader would exist.

And the truth remains: without a teacher, you wouldn’t even be able to read this message you’re reading right now.

So today, I just want to say a big thank you to every teacher out there, in classrooms, in homes, in communities, in Sunday schools, wherever you are teaching and shaping lives. You may not always see the impact immediately, but your words, your lessons, and your care live on in the hearts of the children you teach.

Happy World Teachers’ Day.

#RaquelKashamDaniel #RKD

👉🏽 If this speaks to you, share it with someone else. They might need this encouragement today.