US embassy cable - 04DJIBOUTI1200

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