Inspirational Work in Eritrea

Writing to tell you about an amazing place I discovered just over a week ago...

A Supervisor asked if I would take him to a school on my motorbike as it's a good half days walk and there are no buses during the week. I agreed and so at 7 am (isn't that early for me!!) we set off onthe hair-raising track meandering its way down the mountainside.

We arrived at Hebo just before 8 and were met by the Director. All seemed pretty normal. At Hebo, there is a Junior and elementary school run by the Catholic Church serving four local villages. We saw a few lessons and it was the usual mix of copying notes from the board and monotonous pronunciation drilling. At about 11 things changed though- children started to gather at a small building next to the school. I asked what was happening and we went over to find out. The children were mainly elementary age and were pupils in the afternoon shift at the school. They were coming to eat. The Hebo area relies on farming and last year the rains didn't come, so the harvest failed. This year there has only been one day of rain and so there are no crops at the moment- suggesting a second year of harevst failure. The school provides lunch for the children in the vilages so that they don't come to school hungry. The meal was very simple- pasta and a little tomato silsi but it was definitely more than they would have eaten at home. The children were waiting patiently whilst a young lady dished up the pasta into row upon row of little metal dishes.

Next, we went to have lunch. We ate in the dinner hall with the teachers and the boarders. The school provides free boarding for children in the area. This means that the children have access to three good meals a day, live close to the school so don't miss lessons though walking long distances and receive tutoring with homework during the afternoons when they are not in class. When they finish Junior school, the mission pays for them to attend a secondary school in Asmara or similar in order to finish their studies. The school has the capacity for 60 girls and 60 boys and last year was full. Unfortunately, due to the economic and harvest situation they have had to vastly reduce the number of boarders- roughly 15 girls and 15 boys. The food was simple but absolutely delicious and the community atmosphere was great.

After lunch I was told I should "take rest" and so was shown to one of the spare bedrooms. This is pretty normal in Eritrea where people often sleep at lunchtime. I didn't sleep but read for an hour or so- very pleasant!

After resting I returned to the school and observed a few elementary teachers. The classrooms had been painted nicely- very rare in Eritrea and one had the texts from the curriculum painted onto the wall so that it doesn't matter that most students don't have textbooks.

Later, we went to visit the orphanage. based on the same site and run by the mission "Daughters of Charity", the orphanage takes care of babies up to three years old. The youngest child was just 10 days old on my first visit. Most of the children's mothers died during childbirth and there are no family members to take care of them- usually because fathers etc have to work. Many of the children are twins- orphaned due to the difficulty of birthing twins in more remote regions. It was distressing at first, seeing rows of cots with these tiny people, but when i got over the shock I realised what a great thing was happening. This service is provided free of charge to the families, the children have nowhere else to go and no-one to look after them. Families are expected to visit each month to maintain a relationship with the child, though many don't. This is upsetting to the women who work here. There are only a handful of workers but they work very very hard. At three, the children are rehomed, hopefully with their families- who are given support in looking after their child.

I revisted the orphanage a week later with some friends. We helped out with the feeding and playing. There was an amazing production line of feeding and changing, but at every stage the women chatted with the babies and played with them. One worker, Sister Blessed, told me how important it is for that they talk and play with the children so that they know they are loved.

After feeding, the toddlers are placed in babywalkers and set to play in the corridor. It was like baby bumpercars- hysterical! We were in charge of supervision and playing with these children and there was lots of clapping and banging of babywalker-trays! The older children played outside in the courtyard with some older girls who I think were school boarders. After play time the older children had toiletting- a long row of 2-3 year olds sitting on potties- brilliant!

I loved being there and hope to return again before I head back to the UK. I hugely admire the workers- I was there for just a few hours and needed a good sleep on my return home- they do it day-in, day-out. The times I've spent at Hebo have been some of my most inspiring in Eritrea. It's a community set against a backdrop of sadness but characterised by motivation and commitment to caring for those most in need. What a great find when all I was expecting was a scenic and slightly hairy motorbike journey!

Visit from "The Cavalry"

Hi. Liz's dad here. I have been asked (i.e. instructed) to load up some of the photos we took when we visited Eritrea recently. Our trip lasted about 10 days and we managed to visit Asmara, Keren, Hagas, Massawa, Segeneiti and several other places in between. I am also pleased to report that our digestive systems have now returned to normal.

On day-1 we went up from Asmara to Keren, where we visited the camel market (amongst other "treats"):

The camel market is held in a dried-up river bed, Camels, of course, are traded, but the market also provides for local women to trade in various wares, ranging from materials, cookware, spices etc and even firewood and charcoal. Anything and everything has a price and can be purchased, including empty plastic bottles.

Just "down the road" and through the Dongolaas Gorge (location of WW2 battle of Keren) we came to the small town of Hagas. The majority of housing here is stick huts.

Liz knew of a "hotel" where we were able to get a Coca Cola to cool us off a bit.

We had hired a car to get us around, which in one way was a God-send because it meant we didn't spend hours and hours (literally) queueing for buses which may / may not arrive. However, Liz had not picked the most reliable of vehicles. We broke down on three successive days, and on each occasion we were halfway up some mountain or other, and on hairpin bends! Fortunately the air con proved more reliable than the engine.

From Keren, we drove over the mountains down to Massawa (which is 2,300 metres lower, and at sea level.) The mountain road takes you through one of the few green areas in Eritrea - the Filfil forest. It almost smells like "home".

Massawa is a most interesting place. It is the key port on the Eritrean coastline and has frequently been fought over. Most recently the Ethiopian airforce bombed the port during the Eritrean struggle for independence. The Imperial Palace (above), previously the residence of Haile Selasse, was one casualty.

Just along from the port as Massawa is Gurgusum - a beautiful beach, a very nice hotel and an appetising shrimp lunch.

From Massawa we drove back into the mountains to Liz's "home city" of Segeneiti. We have posted pictures of her house previously, so no repeats. However, I thought this one of her neighbour cooking Injera on a mogogo was interesting. Injera forms the basis for most meals, especially given that bread is in such short supply.

There is a fair amount of arable farming in the area immediately surrounding Segeneiti, and the farmers work hard with teams of oxen ploughing the fields. Rain, however, is in short supply.

Camels are a common sight. When not being worked, they are left to roam, but their front legs are tied to prevent them from "wandering" too far.

There is one tarmac road through Segeneiti. It does not, however, run up to Liz's office. This is the trail from her house to work. You can just about make out her office in the trees.

Liz and Embaba. Embaba is a local girl who spends a lot of time around Liz's house helping out.

Having returned to Asmara, we decided a trip on one of the 10 Best Rail Journeys in the World was not to be missed. Travelling from 2,394 metres above sea level down to the coast at Massawa, the Eritrean Railway runs through (tunnels) and around the mountains, and provides incredible views. Our trip took us to a small town called Nefasit. On the journey (which took 2 hours to get to Nefasit) an Eritrean woman conducted a coffee ceremony on the train! On the return trip the train hit two donkeys in one of the tunnels, killing one donkey outright. The other was in a sorry state and we think it was probably also despatched later with an axe which we saw them preparing! That's Eritrea for you.

Meeting new people is the order of the day for the few ex-pats in Eritrea. We went 10-pin bowling with two paediatric doctors from Washington DC (Lauren and Mecian) who were spending their 3 weeks leave helping out at a children's hospital in Asmara.

We "missed" Easter. We went to mass (in Italian) at St Mary's Cathedral in Asmara on what was Easter at home, but in Eritrea, because of the Geez calendar, it was only Palm Sunday! Confused? You bet we were.

The bell tower of the cathedral provides wonderful views of Asmara. It is a bit of a climb and (considering my vertigo and the brisk winds on the day we went up) too risky to go the final 20 feet where only a slack rope stops you falling!

Asmara, probably the art deco capital of the world, is like stepping back in time. This is the scene inside the post office, showing the writing desk.

Nothing is thrown away in Eritrea. At the Medebar Market, scrap metal is reworked to make fumellas (charcoal stoves for cooking), mogogos (for making Injera), pots, pans and even beds.

On our last full day in Asmara, we went out to the escarpment to admire the views. The mountains fall away many hundreds of metres here and the valleys are full of wildlife, especially baboons. (No, the picture is of Liz and Paul!)

As we sat, hundreds of baboons passed within about 50 yards of us, as they made their way down the escarpment.

Things on the up??

Hi all!
This is actually me- not me via Dad! Hoping that seeing as the internet is fairly speedy today, this will upload- fingers crossed!
Life here is much better this week- I now have an electric ring and so can cook food!!! Life of bread and tomatoes may be finally over!
Have had a busy(ish) week, visiting schools. Sami and I are planning a workshop to help teachers teach reading in grades 3-8 and have being doing a bit of research. We've been talking to teachers and have observed a few lessons. Just when you feel the whole thing is pointless, you come across a teacher who's really trying hard and is keen to learn- and life has meaning again!
My phonics work is beginning to reep rewards and Jolly Phonics is making it's way around Eritrea! Children doing strange actiuons all over the place! There's still lots to be done but I'm more hopeful than I was a few months ago.
Hoping to get the go ahead to develop the PRC (Pedagogical resource centre) in Segeneiti. This should be a place where teachers and students can go to access resources, borrow books, make resources for class, attend workshops etc. At the moment the PRC is a disused toilt that fits one desk and two chairs. We need to secure a new room. If/when this happens I'll be back asking for stuff! You have been warned!!!
OK, going to try to upload now...
Liz x

Rachel's Visit

As I mentioned before, Rachel came to visit for New Year. Here's some of her photos:

About to sample her first Injera !

Rach sees the tougher side of VSO

The queue for the bus (Asmara)

Authorised for travel (Tickets inspected, we get a red stripe on the thumb as confirmation)

Arranging the "bedroom" - Massawa

Supper - Massawa, New Year's Eve 2008

Jan 1st 2009 - Massawa

Tribesman and Camel

Rachel, with ruins of Haile Selassie's palace in background

Me, outside a (um) Wonderful shop

Coming towards Massawa

Massawa

The hardware store

Shop

Weaver (well you can see that!)

At my desk in work

Picnic in the mountains

Inside my compound on washing day

Mix it, ferment it and, yes - drink it!

The Nakfa tree is so called because it appears on the currency (Nakfa).

Rach and me on my bike close to the Nakfa tree.

"And we have this in your size..."

At the top of the bell tower, Asmara Cathedral

Rachel nearly gets to church

Green Island

Just before Christmas, my friends and I took a trip to Green Island, which is a wonderfully unspoilt island just off the coast at Massawa. We hired a small boat and headed off for a day of sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling - beautiful.


On the boat.
The ruins of Haillie Selassi's palace in Massawa, seen from the boat.
Shelter from the sun
Stones and Shells
The Pier
Evening

Christmas Photos (and New Year)

In Eritrea, there are two " Christmas' ": Christmas is celebrated on 25th December in the Catholic Church, but the main Eritrean Christmas (Orthodox Chucrh) is celebrated on January 7th - Christmas according to the Geez calendar! It is pretty quiet here before Christmas - unlike the UK - and to be honest, it's not exactly riotous on 7th. No matter - we made a go of it. I got together with most of my VSO colleagues in Asmara to celebrate. We started on Christmas Eve with an office party and then on Christmas Day (the real one on 25th. December) we went for a wonderful 7-course lunch at a posh Italian restaurant. Then for New Year we all headed off to Massawa - a beach resort on the Red Sea coast. Rachel came out to stay after Christmas and was here for New year. We slept out under the stars on the beach at Massawa. We got back to Segeneiti in time for the baptism of my neighbour's baby; baptisms are a big deal in the Orthodox Church and it seemed like half the town was there to greet me when we arrived home to our compound.
We celebrated Eritrean Christmas on 7th. with huge Injera lunches - three of them. My friend and fellow VSO colleague, Sami, slaughtered a chicken - this was a little disturbing but at least we knew the meat was fresh!

Louam and Embaba decorate my Christmas tree. Christmas at the VSO Project Office. We had a challenge to design and make the best hat - and I won it!

The last sundown in 2008; the first sunrise of 2009. And Rachel and me on the beach!