The Emmanuel English Language Centre in Djibouti City has been emptied. It is now closed, locked up and ready for another use.
But Emmanuel English Language Centre will live again!
It will be reborn and will be ready to serve a new generation of those eager to learn, practice and develop their use of the English language in order to develop their business, educational and cultural opportunities.
EELC at Ali Sabieh – a new project
As mentioned in a recent blogpost (February 3, 2024), the decision has been taken to transfer the work of Emmanuel English Language Centre out of Djibouti City to the second largest settlement, Ali Sabieh. This is a quiet provincial town in the south of the country which has grown enormously over recent years, with a population now estimated by the local authorities at just under 100,000. The population are largely Somali ethnically and linguistically, but the language they learn to read and write in school is French. However, Djibouti is the only French-speaking nation in East Africa (all the others are in West Africa), and cross-border trade and contacts are with countries where English is the international language, including Ethiopia which has a border-crossing only 8km away.
MMR has been strongly encouraged by the regional government to set up a centre similar to EELC in Djibouti City, to provide teaching, a library, and conversation practice opportunities for their employees and other members of the community, including those who have successfully completed high school but not yet found jobs. (By decision of the central government, there is now some English teaching in the high schools, but as with all skills, if you don’t use it, you lose it!) We also have the encouragement of a fledgling business-oriented private University College on behalf of their students and staff.
A suitable building has been identified and a lease has been signed. Updating and adaptations have been agreed by the landlord, and all the resources of EELC will need to be brought from the City and installed.
Financial support of this new venture is needed and will be greatly appreciated. See the Funding page, for how to proceed and please specify “Ali Sabieh” in connection with your donation.
Kerith Trust 