Interview with Teacher Amanda: How a mission school responds to crisis in Niger
By Susan Akyeampong | Niger in West Africa
Being a mission worker family can be both rewarding and challenging, particularly when it comes to finding quality Christian education for your children. Frequent relocations and travel can be disruptive, making it difficult for children to settle in and form lasting friendships.
Mission schools like Sahel Academy in Niamey, Niger, are changing the educational experience for children of mission workers.
Opened in 1986, the school is a K-12 international Christian school that uses an English-language curriculum and today, looks after 70 students from 18 different countries.
The past few months have been especially challenging for Sahel Academy’s staff. Extreme weather in Niamey, along with unexpected political issues, has made this past year difficult.
The upcoming school year faces challenges: Sahel Academy is without a director, and visa delays are affecting staff arrivals. Despite these obstacles, teachers remain dedicated to nurturing students into young people who love God and use their education to make a positive impact on the world.
SIM International spoke with Amanda, a teacher at Sahel Academy, about the summer's difficulties and how the school community is preparing for the year ahead.
Can you share more about the challenges the school faced last year and how the community came together to overcome them?
In late July 2023, a coup in Niger disrupted the start of our school year. Airports closed, and many families and staff members couldn't return, leaving us with half of our student body and a reduced staff.
The SIM community in Niamey stepped up by organising weekly dinners, creating a sense of support. A fellow teacher and I stayed with a SIM family, and despite power issues, we made it through together. School was delayed until October, but Sahel ran a half-day literacy programme for the students who remained in Niamey.
Even though I left on an evacuation flight in August for reliable power and internet, we stayed connected through Zoom. It was a rough start to the school year, but the sense of community was so strong, and it helped us navigate the difficult start to the year.
How do you find rest and renewal in such a challenging environment?
One of the challenges in Niamey is the lack of places or activities I would normally turn to for rest. There aren’t many parks to walk in, just a few restaurants, no coffee shops, and the only movie theatre closed last year. There are no forests or mountains to explore either. I grew up near Vancouver, BC, and didn’t realise until I moved to Niger how much I depended on the natural landscape for relaxation.
However, living in Niamey has taught me to find rest in new ways. I read a lot, spend time with friends over meals or TV shows, and listen to music. When it rains, I open all my windows just to hear the sound because I know I won’t get to enjoy it for the rest of the year. Niamey has reshaped my understanding of rest, and God has helped me to focus on small, simple joys that bring peace and renewal.
You recently had a day of prayer and fasting at the school. How important is spiritual practice in your daily life and work at Sahel Academy?
None of us could serve at Sahel, or live in Niger, without prayer and the support of our communities. Life here can be very challenging. When we learned we’d be starting the year without a director and called for a day of prayer and fasting, I was amazed by how many people from the wider mission community joined us.
In the midst of our difficulties, we could tangibly see how God had built this community and brought people into our lives to support and care for us. We aren’t alone. During the day of prayer, I was reminded that Sahel is God’s school, not ours. While we only see the present challenges, God sees the bigger picture and knows our struggles. It’s been encouraging to focus my prayer life on his plan as we move forward into the year.
Prayer:
- ● Pray for perseverance for the teachers and the school board as they manage their increased responsibilities and seek and follow God's plan
- ● Pray that God would grant the students the strength to navigate the transitions and upheavals in their education and to remain committed to their learning.
- ● Pray that both staff and students find strength and purpose in this challenging environment, and that teachers stay dedicated to loving and serving the students and families at Sahel Academy.
