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4th GAC annual meeting and capacity building event - Dakar, Senegal

Report

Date: 25-26 February 2010

From 25 to 26th February 2010, at Hotel Faidherbe in Dakar, Senegal Republic, held the 4th regional meeting of GLOBE Africa. The meeting was attended by the following people:

• Alidjennatou Aliou Emmanuel (Benin),
• Margaret Besong and George Nditafon (Cameroon),
• Paula Dias Monteiro (Cape Verde),
• Mekuria Argaw (Ethiopia),
• John Kimani (Kenya),
• Paul Randrianarisoa and Yves Lucien Rabarisolonirina (Madagascar),
• Cyber participant David Sampson (Namibia),
• Korie Eberechukwu Ernest (Nigeria),
• Celestin Ntivuguruzwa (Rwanda),
• Ngosse Fall Bousso (Senegal),
• Mark Brettenny (South Africa),
• Mary Kiwaria (Tanzania) and Patrick Sempala (Uganda),
• Ylliass Lawani (GLOBE Alumni representative, Benin),
• Birane Diouf and Papa Ibrahima Ndoye (GLOBE Alumni, Senegal),
• Dr. J. Kennedy (GPO Representative) and
• Dr. Dianne Robinson (NASA CALIPSO Outreach Director)

The opening ceremony of the meeting started by the welcome of Mr. Ibrahima Ndour, Director in charge of the secondary and general school at the Ministry of national education, followed by the allocution of Dr. Altine Ndao Traoré, Coordinator of the education and environmental training Unity at the Ministry in charge of environment. The two honorable guests reviewed the actions based on missions and objectives of the GLOBE program in Senegal, and they pointed the importance of the Program in the national education system. They finished by expressing their pride to host the 4th GLOBE Africa Consortium meeting.

Mr. Mamadou Bâ, GLOBE teacher in Lycée Seydina Limoulaye was moderating the opening session; and English translation was provided by Mr. Mamadou NDiaye, GLOBE Master Trainer.

After a tea breaking offered to the guests and participants the activities planned for the day one started. The participants noted that each country must continue to build their infrastructure so as to build capacity for GLOBE nationally and regionally in continuum of the model discussed in Tanzania.

Mr. Mark Brettenny, Director of the GLOBE Regional Office and Regional GIAC Representative provided an update about the successful Kilimanjaro event. For more information and revisited the Kilimanjaro educational trek just click on this link http://xpeditiononline.com/09revisited.html

This was followed by the countries coordinators reports only on activities since last meeting. In general GLOBE schools are still active. Some countries need to sustain their GLOBE Schools actions and increase their commitment to continue with the program. Others need Training of teachers on specific protocols to support their implementation and research. They work with other organizations that are doing the same type of work as GLOBE is doing. GLOBE is supported by government in the majority of the African counties but in those where it is not they are working to gain support of other organizations and structures by publishing the results of the student researches (i.e. Senegal). Discussion about how to involve students and scientists/faculty at universities and involving the community followed. Some GLOBE countries like Madagascar are also focusing on the identification and preparation of the GLOBE Alumni Team and building a strong structure in each GLOBE school.

There was guests Skype appearance of Mr. David Sampson, Namibia country Coordinator who was not able to attend due to an official calendar. The other guest appearance was made by Mr. Matthijs Begheyn from the GLOBE Europe consortium, and Mike O'Toole on behalf of Dr. Sheila Yule as GPO, to greet the country coordinators and to thank them for their recruitment efforts.

After the lunch break the session continues with the GLOBE Alumni Presentation. Mr. Ylliass Destin LAWANI, GLOBE Alumni representative at the meeting (supported by Mr. TAMSU FOGUE Marcellin in a Skype appearance from Morocco) made an overview of the Alumni structure and asked each country coordinator to please help with the identification of alumni and promote the projects they are working on (GS Pals project and GLOBE at Night project www.globeatnight.org).

GLOBE Madagascar offered to host the next GLOBE regional meeting which will be held in March 2011 due to better weather in Madagascar.

The second and last day of the meeting continued the Country Coordinators reports.

It was agreed that Ms. Alidjennatou Aliou Emmanuel (Benin) will assume responsibilities as the new Chairperson for the region in June 2010. Paul Randrianarisoa (Madagascar) was elected as the new Deputy chairperson of the region (effective June 2010). Mark Brettenny has been elected to take over the chair of the GLOBE International Advisory Committee in June 2010.

THANKS were expressed to Ms. Ngossé Fall Bousso for hosting the successful meeting and to Mark Brettenny for his continuous support and guidance. The Regional Office supplied the instruments and equipment for the next Teacher Training Workshop to be held in Dakar in April. Thanks and appreciations were also given to Dr Teresa and the GPO for their continued support of GLOBE in all countries in the Africa region and to the regional governance. The EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP of Mr. Mark Brettenny was pointed out and commended. The meeting was adjourned in a general atmosphere of satisfaction.

In the afternoon a networking trip was organized to Gorée Island (have a virtual tour by clicking on the link followed http://webworld.unesco.org/goree/en/index.shtml), and a visit of the town of Dakar finished that wonderful expedition to the Taranga land.

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