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Where we do it > Eritrea - 5 minutes with Yohannes Tesfamichael, Country DirectorCould you briefly explain VSO’s role in Eritrea?
Eritrea’s only viable and sustainable means of development is through education. So VSO is supporting the Eritrean government’s efforts to improve the quality of education. As a new country, one of Eritrea’s main challenges has involved transforming the education system. The whole institution has been overhauled: the curriculum has been written and re-written to reflect the new realities in the country; the number and quality of teachers has to be increased; and the way the English language is taught in schools is being transformed. In 1993, VSO was asked by the government to help in most of these areas. Over the years our work has become more focused. In a nutshell, all of our work in Eritrea is now organised in three categories, namely improving the teaching of English language, teacher development and vocational and ICT training.
What are the main challenges facing VSO Eritrea?
The main challenge is the external environment we’re working in, although we enjoy a strong partnership and support from the Ministry of Education and the government in general. Partly as a result of border conflicts with Ethiopia, the government has been putting in place various restrictions on expatriates in the country. The most frustrating of these is the requirement for any expatriate (including volunteers) to apply for a travel permit ten days in advance if they want to travel outside of their residence town. This hasn’t been good for the government’s image. Currently we’re managing to get this travel permit for many months for all volunteers from relevant government offices. We’re extremely happy by the support we’re getting from the government in this regard.
What have been VSO’s main achievements in Eritrea?
One - our contribution to entrenching in-service teacher training as an important strategy in improving the quality of education through continuous development of teachers, and two - our contribution in implementing and shaping the country’s ICT education strategy across the whole education system. We’ve also helped change attitudes towards learning English. In the past, students thought they were learning the language just to pass an exam because that’s the way they’d been taught. This is changing now, as students and teachers recognise English as a vital tool for communication.
Why do you think international volunteers are important in Eritrea?
As a new country Eritrea needs help to develop quickly and regain lost development opportunities. For this reason it’s natural for the government to look for support in building the capacity of its citizens. International volunteers play a crucial role in this area by bringing diversified skills to the country which otherwise may be very expensive for the government to import. More importantly, international volunteers contribute towards creating and sustaining a close relationship between Eritrea and the international community.
How has conflict with Ethiopia affected VSO’s work in Eritrea?
VSO takes volunteers’ security very seriously. The border conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia meant that we had to suspend working in some areas of the country - mainly areas near the border with Ethiopia. We also stopped working in areas too far from the capital Asmara, as they may have proved too difficult to evacuate volunteers from in an emergency.
What would you say to volunteers who are thinking of coming to Eritrea?
Anybody thinking about coming to Eritrea should understand that it is currently passing through a unique chapter in its history. It’s trying to assert its position on the international map as a sovereign country, while trying to safeguard its hard won independence. While some take its initiatives as bold strategies to survive, others think it has gone too far. Regardless of these views, if you’re working with organisations like VSO and helping ordinary Eritreans to develop an effective and sustainable education system, you’ll find it hugely rewarding - and it’ll be a unique chapter in your own history too.
Can you challenge any common misconceptions about Eritrea?
The major misconception people have about Eritrea is that they associate it only with war and conflict. But the truth is that it’s one of the safest destinations in the world. The deeply rooted tradition of patience and peaceful means of solving internal problems seems to keep the country almost crime and violence free.
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