Farmers to Faculty
BTS faculty teach full-time but due to their very small salary, must spend the majority of their time farming a small plot of ground where they grow peanuts, varieties of corn, yams and rice. Rotating crops through the wet and dry seasons, they can grow enough food to feed themselves with the remainder stored or sold to meet family needs.
In addition to the faculty’s plots, the school also operates a collective farm where students and faculty are expected to work. The school farms are about a three mile walk from the campus. All field work is done with rudimentary hand tools. Oftentimes the whole family will go to their farm for a day of back breaking work.
We want to help BTS provide these faculty farmers with a large enough salary to allow them to become full-time faculty - to have the time for class preparation, student consultations and research. This will have a positive impact upon the quality of education they are able to deliver to students. At present these academic staff receive approximately $65 per month. This does not cover the expenses of paying school fees for their children, medical care for their families, improvement of their homes, food on their table and transportation.
The Farmers to Faculty program needs your gifts. Our goal is to double the monthly stipend paid to faculty, which would require an additional $1000+ per month. You can help allow teachers to be instructors rather than farmers. Your gift of $10, $100, or $1000 will make a difference in the lives of these farmer-faculty. Money may be safely sent through your local church to the Conference Treasurer marked: Banyam Staff Stipend.