IFESH VOLUNTEERS ARRIVE DJIBOUTI FOR ENGLISH

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 001200

SIPDIS

STATE PASS USAID
STATE FOR AF/E AND AF/RSA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID SCUL DJ
SUBJECT: IFESH VOLUNTEERS ARRIVE DJIBOUTI FOR ENGLISH
LANGUAGE TEACHING


1. (U) Six International Foundation for Education and
Self-Help (IFESH) volunteers, consisting of three men and
three women, arrived September 9 in Djibouti for a 10-month
assignment to teach English in Djibouti's education system.
They were met at the airport by Momodou Mombouray of IFESH
headquarters, who is in Djbouti to help the volunteers settle
in, and Djama Equeh, the newly-recruited IFESH country
representative. The arrival of the volunteers is a year-long
collaborative effort by USAID/Djibouti, IFESH CEO, Dr. Julie
Sullivan, and Djibouti's Ministry of Education. Strong
support has come from Minister of Education Abdi Ibrahim
Absieh. .


2. (U) Three of the volunteers will be attached to Pole
University in Djibouti, two to the Ministry of Education
Research and Material Development units and the Teacher
Training College, and one to the Industrial and Commercial
High School of Djibouti. All volunteers will live in
Djibouti city. Most have had extensive experience living and
teaching in Africa south of the Sahara.


3. (U) Ambassador welcomed the group at her residence for tea
and discussions about their program. She noted the
Government of Djibouti's desire to have all its citizens
learn English, and stressed the need for the volunteers to
work toward achieving results that are tangible. She also
discussed the new English language laboratory that the
Embassy has recently donated to Pole University. Also
present at this event were USAID Representative Janet
Schulman and USAID Djibouti Basic Education Team Leader Steve
Dorsey. While on the Embassy compound, the volunteers
received a security briefing from the Regional Security
Officer and, as American citizens, registered at the
Embassy's Consular office.


4. (U) Minister of Education Absieh welcomed the volunteers
in a huge press and media event on September 12. Present at
that event were the Secretary General of the Ministry of
Education, Directors and Advisors of the Ministry of
Education, including the President of Pole University, the
President of the Teacher Training College, and Directors of
Research, Instruction and Planning. During that event,
USAID representative Schulman expressed her joy and pride in
seeing the American volunteers in Djibouti and welcome them
on behalf of USAID. Minister Absieh stressed the need for
the volunteers to feel at home, to get to know Djiboutians,
and asked for their patience as the Ministry completed
remaining renovations on their permanent housing. He told
the volunteers that he was glad to have them in Djbouti and
would do everything to make their tour a success.


5. (U) The volunteers spent and additional hour with the
Directors and Advisors of the Ministry of Education
discussing the Djiboutian education system and learning about
their individual assignments and programs. The volunteers
had already toured parts of Djibouti during their first
weekend in country, visiting Ali Sabieh to the South,
Tadjourah to the north and Lake Assal, the scenic salt lake
and lowest point on the African continent.


6. (U) Funding for the Djibouti English language program is
approximately USD 400,000 from an AID/W grant to IFESH.
RAGSDALE