One of the main needs identified by our educational partners and children’s projects overseas is English as a foreign language. Each of our rowers has experience of teaching English as a foreign language and been inspired by their experiences overseas. Whilst the online platform isn’t specifically for teaching English (there won’t be lessons on grammar for example), it will cater for students with English as either a first or a foreign language. The idea being that students will be exposed to native English speakers through the rowers, guests, teachers, and students from the UK. Over time it may be possible for our UK based students to turn the educational materials into other languages as part of their own learning of a foreign language at school.

How Knowing English Helps

For many of our children’s projects, the ability to speak and understand English and having exposure to western culture will be sufficient for them to apply for jobs in tourism and business, for scholarships to international hotels, and to apply for NGO grants and funds which are usually only advertised in English.

Long Term Vision of Fourbirdsaboating

Our dream is to one day raise enough funds, that we can provide mentoring and tuition to the best students via the online platform, so that we can put them through GCSE and A’Level qualifications in subjects such as science, mathematics, geography, and English. These could have life changing implications for many of our young people. It may even be possible to offer training and courses in basic first aid or food handling for example, to the adults caring for the young people in developing countries in time.