‘Tis the season for new year resolutions in all their hobby-hopping, habit-busting, health-kicking glory. The “New year, new you” era is upon us, and if your resolution is still running at the end of January, honestly, well done!
As we’ve taken stock at the beginning of a new year, we’ve been excited to see some amazing fruit from our work in the past few years. Growing short-term programs (over 200 people last year!), placements in new countries, and new emphasis on humanitarian work through ELIC Online, just to name a few.
So rather than diving into lofty, unattainable goals that “revolutionize” our approach, we are innovating within the framework we’ve spent decades developing. We’re leaning into our strengths. In 2026, we’re charging ahead with the same purpose we’ve always had: to equip teachers to impact lives for the better through cross-cultural education. And now we're coming at this same goal with a new infusion of energy and strategic resolutions moving us forward in two main areas of focus.
1. Equipping and Supporting Teachers Overseas
We’ve seen the Global Ambassador Program (GAP) become an invaluable resource for the teachers who have gone through its nine months of experience-based training and mentoring. Around 70% of GAP participants continue into long-term work with a Legacy team, and the team leaders have noticed a difference when a new teacher begins with the foundation of GAP training.
They launch into their first long-term host country with confidence, knowing they can learn to navigate a new culture. They join their first legacy team with the maturity of experience; it’s not their first time working through the stresses of overseas life with a team. They enter their new classroom with the capability of nine months of cross-cultural teaching experience already under their belts.
In 2026, we resolve to train more teachers than any previous year in the GAP program. And as a part of that goal, we are launching a new GAP team in Uzbekistan this year. Add the existing Thailand and Tunisia GAP programs, and we will have a team in each of our major regions. This means opportunities for teachers who are interested in Asia, Central Asia, or the Middle East/North Africa to spend their GAP program closer to the context where they’re considering serving long-term.
2. Impacting Lives Through Education
Education empowers people to improve their lives, benefit their communities, and participate in an ever-more-global world. We’ve had the honor of seeing so many versions of this story play out, most recently in our online humanitarian programs.
We’ve taught thousands of women in places where their access to education is extremely limited, and they’ve told us it has helped them hold on to hope. These are some of the most resilient people we have ever met. Some would be headed to local colleges soon if they had the opportunity; some are grieving the loss of their careers; many are mothers raising daughters to believe they are worth more than the limited opportunities their situation affords them.
Inspired by their strength, we are coming alongside them to help however we can: teaching beginner levels through assessment prep courses, offering support through a medical mentor program, and connecting with as many women as we are able through a variety of courses and initiatives.
Unfortunately, security restraints mean that, for now, we can only teach about 800 women at a time in our regular courses, which means our waiting list often sits near 5,000 people. So, in 2026, we resolve to offer English practice and community to women on our waitlist. Female volunteers are placed in a WhatsApp group with 4–5 women waiting to take a course, giving them not only an opportunity to practice English but also a weekly connection with a supportive group of women who may be able to understand what they are experiencing.
Volunteers send two guided questions each week: one light and one deeper in a trauma-informed, choice-based approach that gives women space to share their stories at their own pace. If you’re interested in becoming a pen pal, you can find out more by emailing online@elic.org.
When we stop and consider what we get to do as we care for teachers, students, and communities around the world, all we can feel is thankful. It’s an absolute joy to be a part of work like this, and we are beyond excited to see what grows from the seeds of these resolutions for 2026!
