At a donation event in Accra, the US-based philanthropist and media mogul calls for urgent support for teachers, honouring their sacrifices in shaping the next generation.
Chris Crawford, the founder of Elite Media and the non-profit organisation, The Schoolys, is urging society and stakeholders to prioritise the welfare of teachers, particularly across Africa.
According to Crawford, educators form the bedrock of every professional field, yet their contributions often go unappreciated.
Speaking at a donation event at Nii Kojo Ababio Basic School in Accra on Tuesday (5 November), Crawford highlighted the critical role teachers play, not just in the classroom but in shaping the future of entire communities.
“Whether it’s Ghana or whether it’s on the continent or whatever, I think we have to honour teachers’ humanity,” Crawford said.
“We have to realise that they’re more than just what they do during the day for us. They are human beings with families with dreams and aspirations.”
This heartfelt plea came as The Schoolys, an American-based non-profit dedicated to celebrating and supporting teachers globally, presented gifts to 35 teachers at the school.
Each teacher received laptops, cash of GHC 1,000, shopping vouchers, ride-hailing credits, and hampers in recognition of their hard work.
Crawford’s passion for the cause is deeply personal. Reflecting on his inspiration, he shared how his father, a lifelong educator, devoted his life to teaching children who couldn’t afford formal education.
“I always saw how he worked,” Crawford recalled. “He had a whole village of kids that were in his school that looked up and they needed him day in and day out and people didn’t realise [that] was his whole career.”
Davida Selby, Chief Executive of KLA Travels and the facilitator of the donation event, echoed Crawford’s sentiments.
She emphasised that supporting teachers is not just about enhancing their professional lives but also improving their well-being.
“We wanted to make sure we hit them in every angle,” Selby noted. “They have a chance to finally be selfish and take care of themselves for once.”
“It can just be in the community that you grew up in; it could be the community that you live in but just find a way to say thank you to the people who are tirelessly working for us and working for our children.”
Adding to the calls for support, Ghanaian actor Mawuli Gavor encouraged Africans in the diaspora to leverage their resources to drive impactful initiatives.
“It’s supposed to be something that the community works together and that’s what we have to review,” he said.
“Obviously, in Africa, we haven’t got no money but to stimulate it by itself. So whenever you have programmes and initiatives, you can use the media to collect or try to stimulate the African community and make our homes better.”
Reporting by Andy Sepah in Greater Accra
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.