About Us

Where It All Started and What We Stand For

Tumi English Training Centre (TETC) was born from a bold recognition: in a country where French is dominant, thousands of working adults in Côte d’Ivoire are being locked out of regional and international opportunities simply because they lack English proficiency. From commerce and governance to technology and migration, English has become a vital bridge to progress. Seeing this urgent need, the Research and Counselling Foundation for African Migrants (RECFAM), a Pan-African NGO dedicated to empowering migrants and vulnerable populations, launched TETC as a language empowerment initiative tailored specifically for the working class.

Unlike conventional schools, TETC is rooted in advocacy.

Our founding purpose is not merely to teach grammar or vocabulary, but to dismantle the barriers that prevent adults; particularly low-to-middle-income earners from accessing new horizons.

Our name, “Tumi,” meaning power in the Akan language, reflects our belief that English is not just a skill, but a source of power—economic, professional, and social. TETC was created to deliver that power in a format that respects the adult learner’s time, responsibilities, and ambitions.

Our Educational Philosophy

At TETC, education is not about memorization, it is about transformation. We understand that our learners are adults with complex lives, full-time jobs, and specific communication goals. Our approach is anchored in adult learning theory, emphasizing real-life application over abstract rules. We use scenario-based teaching, where each module simulates workplace tasks, market exchanges, immigration interviews, and professional conversations.

Lessons are interactive, dynamic, and grounded in the real challenges our learners face.

Whether it’s a customs officer preparing for a training in Accra, a market trader looking to speak to Nigerian wholesalers, or a young woman planning to apply for a scholarship abroad, we design our content to serve that purpose directly.

This learner-centered philosophy allows adults not only to learn English but to own it; to gain confidence, agency, and readiness to engage in broader spaces.

Our classrooms foster encouragement and mutual respect. Mistakes are not failures; they are steps toward fluency. Our facilitators act not just as teachers, but as mentors who guide students to discover the practical value of English in their personal and professional journeys.

Partnership with RECFAM: Mission in Action

TETC is not an isolated project; it is a key pillar within the larger mission of RECFAM, an organization that has championed migration rights, social reintegration, and educational inclusion across West Africa. RECFAM’s commitment to sustainable development, anti-trafficking awareness, and migrant support directly informs TETC’s operations. This partnership ensures that we go beyond classroom instruction to address the broader structural needs of our learners.

Through RECFAM’s support, TETC is able to subsidize training costs, offer special outreach to underserved communities, and integrate empowerment modules that build self-confidence and critical thinking.

Our affiliation grants us access to networks of local partners, job placement opportunities, and international institutions that share our goals.

This synergy makes TETC more than a language school. It is a human development initiative grounded in justice, dignity, and opportunity. Our students don’t just learn to speak English—they gain a support system shaped by one of the most active advocacy organizations in West Africa.

Who We Are: Our Team and Core Strengths

The strength of TETC lies in its people. Our faculty is composed of certified English language instructors with TESOL, TEFL, and adult literacy credentials, each bringing years of classroom and cross-cultural experience. What distinguishes them, however, is their passion for adult education and their understanding of the socio-economic realities our learners face.

We take a hands-on approach to student progress, offering diagnostics, one-on-one consultations, and performance tracking systems that help learners stay on course.

Our support team includes translators, IT coordinators, and RECFAM-trained social officers who ensure that the environment remains inclusive and barrier-free. We also maintain a responsive administration that treats each student with dignity and care, providing pathways for feedback, accommodation, and personal development.

Every team member, from curriculum designers to learning support officers, believes in the transformative potential of education.

Whether you’re a beginner starting from scratch or an intermediate learner refining your skills, you will find at TETC a team that is professional, supportive, and deeply committed to your success.

Social Impact and Learner Outcomes

From our very first intake, TETC has demonstrated that access to the right kind of language education can change lives. Our students have used their newfound English skills to secure better employment, win scholarships, migrate legally, and communicate with international clients. Some have launched cross-border ventures, while others have become advocates in their own communities, helping peers navigate documentation, legal services, or humanitarian aid processes in English.

Our model prioritizes impact over enrollment. We measure success not by numbers, but by transformation; what our students can do differently because of their experience with us.

We maintain detailed learner tracking systems, alumni feedback loops, and success stories that inform how we evolve.

Moreover, the ripple effect of TETC reaches beyond the individual. As one adult gains fluency, entire families gain access to new information, safer migration paths, and higher income potential. This is what language empowerment looks like—not theoretical improvement, but real, measurable, life-changing progress.

Looking Ahead: Growth, Innovation, and Community Alignment

As we move into the future, TETC is committed to growth that remains community-centered and mission-aligned. Our development plan includes expanding into digital learning, allowing busy workers and rural learners to access English training through mobile platforms. We are also developing sector-specific English modules for health workers, artisans, hospitality staff, and civil servants, ensuring that training remains relevant to professional demand.

Plans are underway to launch a TETC Trainer Fellowship, aimed at building a pipeline of certified facilitators from within our own alumni base.

These trainers will be equipped to establish micro-centres in underserved neighborhoods and satellite towns, expanding our reach while maintaining quality and consistency.

At every stage, we will continue to engage our learners, partners, and local stakeholders. TETC is not only growing as an institution, it is growing as a movement. A movement for equitable education. A movement for linguistic dignity.

A movement for opportunity that begins with a single powerful word: Tumi.

Founder & Director's Bio

Gifty, born on November 29, 1987, in Tema, Ghana, is a passionate advocate for children’s welfare and the empowerment of vulnerable communities. Raised in a close-knit family of five, her upbringing instilled in her a deep sense of compassion and purpose that continues to guide her life and career.

Driven by an innate spirit of generosity, Gifty is a philanthropist and social entrepreneur who channels her personal resources into uplifting those in need. Her commitment to service is not just a passion—it’s a way of life. She firmly believes that true legacy lies in the lives we touch, and she lives by the powerful mantra:
“Legacy is the life you touch.”