HiCEP

Students complete first semester of studies

2009-02-01T09:20:00.000-08:00

The two students who are being sponsored by HiCEP to study on the Teacher Training course at Amoud University in Boroma have just completed the first semester’s work and are awaiting the results of the examinations. At the end of February they will start the second semester. By the summer they will be half way through the two year course. Next year they will return to Beled-Weyne to re-open the school.

Film of Dad

2009-01-15T03:19:00.000-08:00

I uploaded the film of Dad I made for the memorial service:

Also available at hicep.org.uk

New HiCEP website

2009-01-04T03:19:00.000-08:00

We have created a new website at hicep.org.uk. It was just over a year ago we started this blog, my Dad was home for what turned out to be his last Christmas with us and one of the things he asked for was a website so that our supporters around the world could see the progress with the school. The last post was on 30 March 2008, two weeks later the school was attacked and Dad was killed alongside Rehana, Andrew and Gilford.

I look back on 2008 as the worst year of our lives. It was not just the attack itself but the subsequent outbreak of fighting which threatened the lives of our family on a daily basis. I will never forget speaking to my cousin whilst the Ethiopian Army was shelling Belet Weyne. It is a world we in the West can go through our whole lives without ever being exposed to.

Through all this we carried on. The HiCEP staff here and in Somalia together managed to get two students enrolled at Boroma University, repair and reopen the library and ensure the school building was defended. All in all it was an incredible achievement by Mum, Hilary, Abdi Aziz, Abdishakur, Abdulqadir and Faisal. All of us are determined that Dad's work continue and that we continue to contribute to education in Hiran.

Latest news

2008-03-30T13:43:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately it now seems very unlikely that the move to the new school premises can be made in time for the new school term. This is because parents of children who attend the school have expressed their concern about sending them to the new building at this time. In recent weeks there
has been quite a lot of activity by Union of Islamic Courts fighters in the countryside around Beled-Weyne. This has even included a raid into the town on the night of 6th-7th March. The parents feel that for the time being their children will be safer continuing
their schooling in the rented premises which are in the centre of the town as this avoids the
risks inherent in travelling to school and back along a road which is on the outskirts of the town.
Needless to say this is a disappointemnt but it is nothing like the blow it would be to hear that some harm had come to either children or staff. So we must bear it patiently, make sure that everything is done to complete the outstanding
work which is mentioned in yesterday's blog and hope and pray for better conditions in which it will
be possible to relocate to the new premises in safety. We're now thinking in terms of the move being made during the July-August break between school years.

Final preparations

2008-03-29T04:09:00.000-07:00

Everyone is very busy getting things ready so that the children can move into the new School buildings at the start of the new term. These are being dealt with:-
Water supply-digging the well-constructing the platform and installing the water tank on it-laying the pipes
Access road- making good the road to the School premises, both within the compound and beyond
Furniture and equipment-purchasing new desks both for the extra classroom and to ensure
that the children can sit two to a desk (rather than three or four to a desk as has been necessary
in the overcrowded conditions in the rented premises)- shelving is also needed so that the stock of books can be stored properly-and some furniture for the office and staffroom. Transporting all furniture, equipment and stock to the new premises and installing it there.
Electricity supply-installing the generator and, in due course, solar panels

SCHOOL FINISHED!

2008-03-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

A truly amazing accomplishment.

School nearing completion

2008-02-16T13:58:00.000-08:00

From Daud: I visited the school building this morning and was pleased to see how well the work is progresssing. I chose wood stain for the doors and windows. The ceiling will be painted white and the walls some light colour paint. Abdihakim went with me and he will be sending some photos soon.

And here they are:

Forthcoming events & Contact details

2008-01-30T03:41:00.000-08:00

Two fund raising events will be taking place in Birmingham in coming weeks. These are

1st March-a BIG Clearance and Table Top Sale
19th April-sponsored barge pull, with opportunities to pull, walk, ride or sponsor

contact margaret@hicep.org.uk for further details or to make any other enquires

Full steam ahead for the new term

2008-01-24T07:04:00.000-08:00

Rehana and Daud arrived in Beled-Weyne on yesterday's ECHO flight. Now all teaching staff are in place so all four classes of youngsters have their qualified teacher with them . Adults classes will begin again on Sunday. There's a lot of excitement
about the busy term ahead and the prospect of The School being relocated into the new premises before it ends.

The roof is tiled

2008-01-23T13:38:00.001-08:00

The tiles are prepared:

The work begins:

Taking shape:

Done:

A good job finished!

Tiles arrive

2008-01-07T10:54:00.000-08:00

The tiles have arrived to build the roof for the school:

They are unloaded:

The English School will be one of few buildings with a tiled roof:

The tiles are good quality will ensure the roof will last:

Well worth the effort!

Building underway

2007-12-25T02:23:00.000-08:00

The building began on 10th November and is now well underway. The main structure of the school is up and now all that remains is to add the roof, windows and doors. We expect it to be finished in February.