This year at Sandblast, our mission is to bring our teaching standards further into focus.

Our teachers face unique obstacles as educators in the context of a refugee camp. With that in mind, we have organized to bring in two highly qualified, veteran teachers to act as collaborators on the ground for the 2026 Fall semester at Desert Voicebox through a team-teaching residency.

This project has been a huge undertaking, and involves months of coordination, planning, and funds.

What is Desert Voicebox?

Desert Voicebox is Sandblast’s flagship after-school programme, a unique educational initiative bringing language, music, and creative learning to Saharawi children.

Through Desert Voicebox, children gain access to high-quality education, creative workshops, and a safe, inspiring environment - while teachers receive sustained professional development that strengthens their skills and confidence.

The programme is designed to be community-led, sustainable, and empowering, creating long-term opportunities for both students and educators.

Role of Saharawi Women

At the heart of our Desert Voicebox programme are local Saharawi women we trained as teachers, who not only deliver lessons but become role models, leaders, and agents of change in their communities.

As refugee women, they face limited opportunities for professional enrichment and higher education. Our teachers have an abundance of passion for the project and our students, bolstered by a forceful determination to see Desert Voicebox continue to grow.

Furthering the education of our teachers is just as important to us as the education of our students. By enriching our teachers, we will able to raise our educational standards, and can continue to deliver stimulating, horizon broadening workshops and activities to our students.

The 2026 Team-Teaching Residencies

Our training programmes and workshops create much-needed opportunities that are otherwise unavailable for Saharawi women.

We have hand selected two highly qualified educators to join our teachers on the ground to help bolster their skills through hands-on partnership.

Team Teaching is an approach to modeling pedagogical and classroom skills through shared lessons and partnership. Through this semester long residency, our teachers will be able to collaborate as equals and receive bespoke training tailored to the context of teaching in a refugee camp.

This initiative will allow teachers to:

Deepen their expertise across all levels of Desert Voicebox, ensuring children have a strong foundation in literacy, language, and creativity

Grow as educators and mentors, with structured professional development pathways that build confidence and leadership

Explore curriculum adaptations to support the programme’s expansion and long-term sustainability

Connect with international educators and partner organisations, strengthening a collaborative network of knowledge and support

The Cost Breakdown

The €5000 funds the expenses for two Resident Veteran Teachers.

Each Resident receives:

€600 stipend

€1260 for food and accommodation with a Saharawi host family

Up to €500 toward return flights from Europe to Tindouf

€80 toward external transport outside Algeria

€60 toward travel insurance

Total: €2,500 per teacher

By investing in this vital training, you create a lasting impact at the heart of Desert Voicebox by empowering local women educators with the skills and confidence to inspire children and strength learning standards within a deeply marginalised refugee context.