Canadian visitor to ADRA in Hais

Paul Fish
Canadian visitor to ADRA in Hais

Paul is a first time visitor to Yemen at the personal invitation of Marie Ann Fernandez whom he met while working as a volunteer in Sierra Leone. Paul comes from Toronto and is en-route, returning to Sierra Leone for another 6 months of work. He is a Chartered Surveyor and volunteers some time with municipalities in developing countries to mobilise their own source revenues; largely property taxes and business taxes. http://www.paulinsierraleone.blogspot.com/

Here is a picture of Paul with Marie Anne and Rita on a trip to Hodeidah overlooking the Red Sea.

On his arrival in Hais, Marie Ann found Paul a useful job at ADRA, to create a newsletter for Canadian readers and others interested to follow the ADRA activities in Hais. Over the past 10 days Paul has looked at all of the activities carried out at the clinic and at the office and he has travelled to the villages of Fash and Khocha. He also accompanied many of the ADRA team to the nearby City of Hodeidah to search for suitable wheelchairs. In preparation for the newsletter Paul suggested creating a web log so that the ADRA office in Hais can keep in touch with it’s supporters in other parts of the world. Marie Ann agreed and so this new communication is started. Hassan the Financial Assistant is the ADRA Hais English translator and he has enthusiastically agreed to maintain the blog as frequently as possible.

Paul arrived in Sanna’a on a rest day, Saturday Oct 18 and even though he was not an official ADRA visitor he was greeted at the airport by the Country Director Nagi Khalil and Marie Ann. We all travelled back to Nagi’s home where a large brunch was served by his wife Lindy and their two children. The afternoon was spent touring and hiking through the surrounding spectacular hills around Sana’a and visiting a local hotel for traditional serving of coffee. The Yemeni reputation for friendliness is well earned.

Here is a picture of Paul and the hills near Sana'a