Sharing the Joy of Learning: Anneke's Story
In the early 2000s, a fresh graduate from the University of Southampton in the U.K. decided to set off on a solo journey to Asia. Having just finished her degree in European Studies, she wasn’t quite sure what to do next -- so she packed her bags and headed south.
“I always said that I didn’t want to be a teacher when I was younger,” Anneke says. But somewhere between Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia, she realized what she wanted to do was teach. During her travels, she stayed at hostels run by families with children who wanted to learn English from her. “They seemed so enthusiastic and wanted to learn. Something just clicked and I felt – I could actually be a teacher,” she says.
Once her trip was over, she went home to the U.K. to take a teacher training course in London and was surprised by how much she enjoyed it. Anneke then took her first job teaching English in Bournemouth, U.K. But the persistent urge to travel remained, and after just a couple of years she set off again – this time to South America. She spent six months in Colombia before returning home to get a diploma in teaching English.
By 2007, Anneke was again overseas, working in Hong Kong as an English teacher to locals. It was here that she had her first experience with refugees. “When I was working in Hong Kong, I first found out about the difficulties regarding the lack of rights for refugees living there,” she says. Through a friend, Anneke connected with an organization offering services to refugees and joined as a volunteer teacher, eventually helping to run the program. Many of her students were from African countries, some of them living in camps close to the Chinese border.
Through this initial experience, Anneke grew to understand what it meant for refugees to be able to learn English. For most of her students, the English classes offered a counter to isolation and idleness. “A lot of them were depressed and didn’t have anything to do, so this was a way to get out and do something positive and meet other people,” Anneke observed. While the social aspects of these classes were often what appealed to refugees, she says, “Learning English can be such a valuable skill for those that become resettled in a new country, and I learnt about the importance of providing opportunities to study in an environment which makes it very difficult.”
Anneke in Hong Kong
Anneke with her students at Roshan Learning Center in 2017
Anneke ended up staying in Hong Kong for quite some time (albeit with a year in between, which she spent in Australia). During this time, she had two children and had completed her Masters in Education and International Development, doing her dissertation on refugee education. At the end of 2014, with both kids in tow, Anneke moved to Indonesia for her partner’s job. Once her daughter Amélie was about eight months old, Anneke was ready to get back into teaching. She heard about Roshan Learning Center through a neighbor of theirs and began volunteering there as a teacher in early 2017.
Today, Anneke plays a crucial role in Roshan’s various English programs. She teaches Adult English at Intermediate and Advanced levels, as well as English for students who are preparing for the U.S. General Education Diploma (GED) in Roshan’s new GED Support Program. On top of assisting with placement tests and assessments for new students, she recently began running teacher support sessions to share insight and develop the skills of Roshan’s refugee volunteer teachers. Her work with refugees extends beyond Roshan, as she now runs English classes at a vocational program under Roshan’s parent organization, YICF.
Teaching at Roshan is not without its challenges. “I have had to adapt to teaching with fewer resources and equipment. For example, when I first started, we still had some chalkboards in the classrooms,” she says. “We also don’t always have access to lots of materials or textbooks, which can be challenging.” Working with refugees requires a unique understanding, but fortunately her time in Hong Kong has helped to inform her approach. She is more prepared for the kind of circumstances and conversations that arise in class and does her best to understand the needs of her pupils. “I have learnt to be more adaptable in uncertain and changing situations, and to be sensitive to other people’s life experiences,” Anneke says.
In the two years since the start of her involvement, Roshan expanded to another building, took in many more students, and began providing new opportunities for its community members. “The positive energy and spirit has remained the same throughout the changes and everyone at Roshan works so hard as a team to achieve this,” she says. “I love that Roshan is not just a place of learning but it is an amazing community of students and volunteers, all providing each other with support and impacting lives in such a positive way.”
As for her favorite memories of Roshan, these include all the classes and students that she has had. “I couldn’t ask for more dedicated or enthusiastic students and we’ve shared some great moments together,” Anneke says.
At Roshan, our teachers include Indonesians, expatriates, and refugees, the majority of them serving as volunteers. Last year, volunteers like Anneke contributed over 80% of our total hours of teaching and instruction. We are deeply grateful to all our teachers for supporting our mission!