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“If we want to see confident, future-facing teachers in our schools, we need to ensure that they are not isolated in that journey”

“If we want to see confident, future-facing teachers in our schools, we need to ensure that they are not isolated in that journey”

The article below is from our partners in South Africa If you believe you could help in their work learn more here Through practical workshops and real-time classroom engagement across our forty-two partner schools, we work alongside teachers to build essential digital skills and integrate technology into their classrooms.  If we want to shift education in a meaningful and lasting way, we’ve learned that we cannot focus only on the learners who come through our programmes. We also need to…

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Be careful what you share on social media

Be careful what you share on social media

This is a cautionary tale. I (Dianne) was sent a video via social media by someone who works at one of the projects we support.  The film showed shocking scenes of violence towards children.  It was sent to me with the best of intentions by someone with whom I have had conversations about positive ways of disciplining children in a country where corporal punishment towards children (though not extreme violence) is still common practice.  The film did not originate in…

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Morocco – a new project and old friends

Morocco – a new project and old friends

Last October Mariama and I spent a busy week in Morocco.  We were there to meet potential new partners for people and places in the village of Amlougui, to visit Education for All who we have been working with for many years, and so that I could introduce Mariama to the people we work with in Morocco and take her to see the projects in action. Our first stop was at the village of Amlougui, where we stayed for three…

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Siem Reap is still the same…stunning peaceful and a vibrant culture

Siem Reap is still the same…stunning peaceful and a vibrant culture

As many of you will be aware there has been unrest on the Thai Cambodian border – but Siem Reap is safe and we are confidently sending volunteers as I type this. This from our partners “We are pleased and relieved to confirm that the ceasefire agreed between Cambodia and Thailand on the 27th of December is still in place.  A key Cambodian demand was the release of 18 soldiers who’d been detained since July.  These were returned on the…

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Honouring Mike McHugo of Education for All

Honouring Mike McHugo of Education for All

Sallie first met Mike in 2009 and we just knew we could work together. Mike is now stepping down from day to day trustee work – here’s the announcement from Education for All – we want to say a huge thankyou to Mike and wish him well in his new role. After many years of service as Chair and as a Trustee, of Education for All Mike is stepping down from the Board – a shift that recognises both EFAM’s…

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Mariama – my first visit to people and places projects in Morocco

Mariama – my first visit to people and places projects in Morocco

It was sometime in 2024 when I began to have talks with Sallie and Dianne about them retiring and ITTOG taking over the running of People and Places. They had spoken to the heads of ITTOG about it and they suggested that I take over the directorship from the UK which is basically taking on Sallie’s role. I was excited about the opportunity as I have been a part of People and Places since the early days of its inception….

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Matching volunteers- building connections between them and the projects.

Matching volunteers- building connections between them and the projects.

Written by Musufing Ceesay, who has recently joined the people and places team as volunteer support co-ordinator. Hi there to everyone, my name is Musufing and I’ve been working alongside Dianne who has been guiding me through the essentials of matching volunteers to the various projects. We started the process in November 2024 when I also met Sallie. Tiny bit of background – I’m from the UK, Leeds via Jamaica, I lived in Gambia for 8 years and am there…

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Blast from the Past – International Volunteer Teachers Wanted – Open to All???

Blast from the Past – International Volunteer Teachers Wanted – Open to All???

This is an article I wrote for our blog and newsletter in 2019 but I believe it is just as relevant today. As an ex-teacher, I of course hope lots of people will volunteer to improve the educational opportunities for children around the world. However it is important that this is done responsibly and thoughtfully to make sure these volunteers don’t do more harm than good. The article was designed to give some guidelines – it was included in discussions…

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‘Morocco – the best of my volunteer placements!’

‘Morocco – the best of my volunteer placements!’

In October Penny set off on her third volunteer placement with people and places – this time to Morocco.  She was the first in-country volunteer they had been able to accept since the earthquake, and she arrived at the start of the school year, as the girls were settling into their new boarding house and enjoying returning to school in Asni.  These are some extracts from the reports Penny wrote at the end of her placement. ‘I have done 2…

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Well deserved recognition for our partners in The Gambia

Well deserved recognition for our partners in The Gambia

When we started people and places – 20 years ago – we decided that we wanted to work with people who were already doing amazing work in their communities. Our partners in The Gambia represent this perfectly. Their lifelong commitment to empowerment through tourism has been recognised again as winners of the African Travel 100 Global Leaders Award. Congratulations Dr Adama Bah and Sheik Tejan Nyang – we are blessed to work with you Adama Bah in this interview shares his…

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