Tuesday 22 October 2002

Education portfolio - Somaliland, Kenya & Ethiopia

Education specialist in Hargeisa

February - August 2002


During 2002, I was part of an International team of aid and relief workers who worked for an NGO, HOPE Worldwide, in Hargeisa, Somali-land. We were involved with educational and health care projects and partnered with other NGO's such as UNICEF, UNDP, and WHO. 

We also conducted minor trips and outreaches to Nairobi, Kenya, and also  Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

Read about my experiences in Somali-land during 2002.

Somali-land is an independent country in Northern Somalia

More about Somali-land

More about Hargeisa

Education specialist for Hope Worldwide

The Hargeisa children's home, our main project

Hargeisa Children's Home scenery

Hargeisa Children's Home scenery

Educational programs

Construction of the UNICEF sponsored playground

Volunteering for other NGO projects

Our partners & supporters

The HOPE team

The HOPE exploits

HOPE support staff

More about Hargeisa

Somali newspaper

Somali Shillings

Dressing as the locals

Local travel experiences

Life in Hargeisa

Interaction with the community

Life at home

Home entertainment

The romantic side of things. A bit like 'Out of Africa'

Rural Somali-land


My favorite pics of Somaliland.....uniquely Somali


Goat waiting for the bank to open

Transportation Somali style

Remnants of civil war littering the landscape


Working in Nairobi (2002)



About Nairobi


Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. It is famous for having the Nairobi National Park, the world's only game reserve found within a major city. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi, which translates to "cool water". The phrase is also the Maasai name of the Nairobi River, which in turn lent its name to the city. However, it is popularly known as the Green City in the Sun and is surrounded by several expanding villa suburbs. 

Nairobi was founded in 1899 by the colonial authorities in British East Africa, as a rail depot on the Uganda Railway. The town quickly grew to replace Machakos as the capital of Kenya in 1907. After independence in 1963, Nairobi became the capital of the Republic of Kenya. During Kenya's colonial period, the city became a center for the colony's coffee, tea, and sisal industry. The city lies on the River Athi in the southern part of the country and has an elevation of 1,795 meters above sea level (Wikipedia).

Read more about BuruBuru, the suburb in Nairobi where I lived with 7 Kenyans.


living in Nairobi

My home

In the yard, enjoying some sun

Uchumi supermarket in Buru Buru, where we shopped

Our house in Buru Buru

Nearby homes and street scenery

Nairobi scenery

Downtown Nairobi

Stanley and I exploring Nairobi

Downtown Nairobi

The colorful Matatu buses

Sidewalk markets and informal trading

Nairobi streets

Lots of these children begging
There are of many of them who specialize in pickpocketing

Nairobi

The financial district

Downtown Nairobi

Bustling Nairobi

A matatu bus at night

Inside a matatu bus

Hope projects, raising HIV/Aids awareness in slums

Information and informal talks about HIV/Aids

Poverty in Nairobi

Slum scenery

Housemates, friends & colleagues

Lunch with colleagues at the YMCA in Nairobi

Making coffee at the ICOC & Hope office

Freddie, a housemate, and friend


Stanley, also a housemate and friend

Jared Odwalo, the house leader and a very good friend

Working in Addis Ababa (2002)


Addis Ababa

About Addis Ababa


Addis Ababa "new flower"; "Natural Spring(s)") or Addis Abeba, is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It has a population of 3,384,569 according to the 2007 population census, with an annual growth rate of 3.8%. As a chartered city (ras gez astedader), Addis Ababa has the status of both a city and a state. It is where the African Union is and its predecessor the OAU was based. It also hosts the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and numerous other continental and international organizations. Addis Ababa is therefore often referred to as "the political capital of Africa" for its historical, diplomatic and political significance for the continent (Wikipedia).

Engaging with locals and friends

With some of the neighborhood kids

After I had an Ethiopian haircut

With church members

These handmade traditional shirts were given to us after a church service

Chris in conversation with Solomon, with whom we stayed

Dinner with church members

Addis streets

Addis Ababa

street scene from a market rooftop

Addis street scene

Bus station

Street scene from a market rooftop

Poverty in Addis is quite rife

Street scenes from market roof

Ethiopian market

Addis scenery

After 5 months in Somali-land, Kenya, and Ethiopia, having the adventure of a lifetime, our project was cut short by geopolitical circumstances, such as 9/11 beyond our control. Sadly ,due to safety and security reasons, our project was brought to a halt quite prematurely, and we returned to our respective countries.