Service members deliver supplies to local Djiboutian school

ByPettyOfficer2ndClass

RionCodrington

Camp Lemonnier Djibouti

DJIBOUTI U.S. service members deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, repaired desks and delivered picnic tables insupportofarenovationprojectledbythe 450th Civil Affairs Battalion at a primary schoolinAliOune,Djibouti,June7.

The 450th Civil Affairs Battalion works with the Djiboutian Minister of Education on multiple projects to build libraries in schoolsthroughoutDjibouti.

“We’re trying to make their educational experience a bit better,” said U.S. Army Maj. David Ewing, Civil-Military Operations Center chief of the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion.

The civil affairs team received help from the 294th Engineering Support Company, whose primary mission is to provide force and general engineering support to the CombinedJointTaskForce-HornofAfrica.

Initially, as the teams delivered libraries,theynoticedthatstudentsneededmore supplies, and that need sparked a new goal -toeliminatethedeskshortage

“When we first started building these libraries most of the desks were broken,” said Ewing “I just saw what needed to be done,soIgrabbedateamandstartedworkingonit.

During the recent desk and picnic table delivery,volunteersinteractedwiththelocal childrenbyplayinggames,andgotachance topracticebothEnglishandFrench.

“Every time service members volunteer, they get to interact with the school faculty the kids and the parents,” said Ewing “When we come off the base and interact withtheDjiboutians,itshowsthemthatwe care.

By providing better facilities for Djiboutianschools,thisprojectandthe294thESC’s work directly relate to CJTF-HOA’s line of effort of being a good partner to our host nation-Djibouti.

U.S.MarineCorpsLanceCorporalJoshua Guevara assigned to the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364, talked about his volunteerexperience

“I felt so happy, I felt so many emotions,” said Guevara “I know I will be helping young kids that will appreciate what we do forthemandmotivatethemtopursuetheir goalsineducation,andlife.”

Thecommunityandstudentshavenoticed the changes that the team has made said Abdichakour Robleh, an English teacher at theschoolinAliOune

“Sometimes three to four children have to sit in the same chair because there were not enough chairs,” said Robleh “When all the students came here and noticed that all the chairs were fixed, they were happy, and itmademehappyforthem.”

Thisprojectandothersledby450thCAB inDjiboutiarefundedthroughtheOverseas Humanitarian,Disaster,andCivicAid.

Each project has to be approved by U.S. Africa Command and the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti, and to save time and money the teamwillgetcreativewiththeirresources

“Instead of waiting on funding to get approved, we do projects that require little timeandnofunding,”saidEwing Repurposed woods and metals found on CampLemonnier,alongwithpersonalfunds were used by the 294th ESC to ensure the jobgotdone.

“This project gave us the opportunity to see our work make an impact at the personal level here within our host nation of Djibouti. It also gave our Soldiers more awarenessofthecultureofDjibouti,specifically the educational environment, said U.S. Army Capt. Trey Maevers, 294th ESC commanding officer “We built it, we delivered it, we installed it, and with the help of Civil Affairs, it became a tangible product thatourSoldierscanbeproudof.”

The team has more projects planned for the school in Ali Oune, there is a series of humanitarian projects that will provide a cleanwatersourcetotheschoolandcombat flashfloodingintheregion.

Through their efforts, the team hopes to support sustainability in Djibouti for children,saidEwing

“My goal is to provide something for the kidstohave,”saidEwing.“Theyarethenext generation and we care about the people of thecommunity.”

For over the past 20 years service membersatCampLemonnierhaveworked onmultiplecommunityimprovementprojectstohelppromotestabilityandprosperity inDjibouti. Camp Lemonnier enables maritime and combat operations in the Horn of Africa whilefosteringpositiveU.S.-Africarelations.