I’m not sure what first stimulated my fascination, at an early age, with the countries of Europe. Maybe it was the big yellow ‘First French Dictionary’ I was given in primary school, and the thought of being able to speak a second language. Or it could have been the excitement and thrill of the ‘pen… Continue reading I Love EU
Addis Addict
This weekend, I had the privilege of coming back to Addis and spending time at the wonderful Ethiopian Education Foundation (EEF). If you haven’t heard me drone on about this before, EEF is a small charity which each year identifies a number of kids entering their ‘GCSE’ year, who have performed exceptionally well academically, but… Continue reading Addis Addict
Moshi: The Highs and Lows
Temporarily hemmed in by the onset of the rains, I’ve amused myself with a little listicle to pass the time. So here are 7 things I love, and 7 things I love not so much, about life in Moshi / Tanzania to date. Firstly, the less appealing bits: 1. Bad air. There’s the black toxic… Continue reading Moshi: The Highs and Lows
HeroRATs – ridding the world of landmines and tuberculosis
Hauling myself out of bed at 6am to go visit a field of rats was never something high on my agenda. This week, though, I’ve been working in Morogoro, a city about 4 hours west of Dar es Salaam. It’s home to Sekoine University of Agriculture (SUA), which happens to be globally renowned for its… Continue reading HeroRATs – ridding the world of landmines and tuberculosis
London ♥♥
I first came to London when I was 10 years old. It was a school trip and I was beside myself with excitement for weeks before. When we finally got there, I lapped up the visits to the ‘sights’, the museums, the parks, the zoo. There was a heatwave. We saw the Queen (fleeting glimpse… Continue reading London ♥♥
We owe Africa more than ‘pity’
Last week, the major aid agencies launched a campaign in support of the appalling famine in parts of East Africa. The timing of the press coverage happened to coincide, for me, with a conference in Dar called ‘Commercial Farm Africa’. It felt slightly surreal to be, on the one hand, looking at horrific pictures coming… Continue reading We owe Africa more than ‘pity’
Tanzania – a couple of months in…
For those interested in keeping tabs on what I’m doing, I realize I’ve not been so great lately at the updates. A reflection, I think, of me adapting back into a full time job, which has come as a slight shock to the system (and yes, I know, I’ll get little sympathy on that front).… Continue reading Tanzania – a couple of months in…
First few days in Moshi
A quick note, just to explain why I’m in Moshi and how it’s going so far. I’m here for a few weeks to do a piece of work with an organisation called Equity for Tanzania (EFTA). EFTA is a social enterprise which makes loans to small businesses and farmers enabling them to buy equipment/machinery to support… Continue reading First few days in Moshi
NYU Abu Dhabi
In connection with work for the Ethiopian Education Foundation, I’ve just spent a weekend on the Abu Dhabi campus of New York University. NYUAD have, in recent years, offered comprehensive scholarships to students from EEF and this year generously invited us (along with a group of US-based school careers counsellors) to observe the candidate selection… Continue reading NYU Abu Dhabi
Thinking of a donation? Some personal recommendations.
Firstly, just to be clear, this isn’t a plea for money. I’m not asking for donations. It’s targeted, instead, at those of you who already intend making a contribution in the run-up to the holidays, but might still be thinking about who you want to support. Maybe you’re on the look-out for new ideas where… Continue reading Thinking of a donation? Some personal recommendations.
Alan Rambling 