BIOGRAPHIES OF THE SPEAKERS
Mr.Ahmed Arwo
Immediately after his high school graduation, he commenced his employment life with Somali Development Bank as Loan Officer. However, Ahmed pursued his urge for higher education, and shortly with strict criteria and intensive competing, he earned internal scholarship to study first degree course from Somali Institute of Development and Management. He gained BA in distinction and that took him to further his studies overseas. He earned his first post graduate diploma in Management and Accounting from famous Institute, SIFOP, of France. Armed with that, Ahmed crowned his education with MSc degree from London School of Economics in Finance and Accounting.
Ahmed was recruited directly from LSE to one of the largest joint-venture companies of SABIC group of companies in Saudi Arabia. It is a joint venture between Saudi Government and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical of Japan (AR-Razi), the largest methanol producer in the world. Ahmed assumed responsibility of Finance Director and finally promoted to Executive Finance Advisor to the President and the Board. During this time, he got an opportunity to learn Japanese management style, where he was seconded to Mitsubishi Gas in Singapore. With company scholarship he secured the distinguished diploma of Corporate Financial Control and Treasury from the prestigious, International Management Institute (IMI) of Geneva, Switzerland.
Ahmed is self-employed financial consultant, community leader and political analyst. Politically he is dedicated to issues relating to democracy, good governance and transparency. He has a blog named SAMOTALIS, meaning Good Advice (samotalis.blogspot.com), where he publishes and collates topical issues on democracy at large, with special attention to Horn of Africa and other emerging democracies.
Ahmed is the Chair of Somali Progressive Association. But his link to voluntary and community service is not limited to Somalis, he served as a School Governor in Fitzalan High School, Trustee in Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, Mental Health Act Manager, Birmingham New Communities Association and Ethnic Development Association, last two in the Midlands.
Rt. Hon. Ahmed Hashi
Ahmed Hashi Abdi educated in Primary, Secondary and University in Hargeisa, Burao and Mogadishu respectively. Ahmed completed his University degree during mid eighties when the Siyad Barre regime were oppressing, suppressing and putting behind the bars the elites of the people of Somaliland. Therefore, Ahmed has never worked for that regime. To save his live from the brutal regime, Ahmed fled from the country at the end of eighties to seek refuge from western countries. Ahmed arrived in the UK in January 1990 and applied asylum on arrival as a refugee. As an educated person, Ahmed immediately set up a Somali Community in South West London with other friends and became a community Development Officer from 1992 to 1995 as to help and support the influx of Somali refugee from Northern Somalia. From 1995 to 1999 Ahmed was the Manager of this organisation.
To face a new challenge and the record of his success Ahmed was appointed as a manager of RAAD LTD an organisation assists and support African refugees in employment and integration in the UK. During those days Ahmed was a founder member of Somaliland Society in UK and member of Management Committee of Hargeisa University. He was also a member of Executive committee of Renewal, A grant giving agency to refugees in West London. Ahmed also educated in UK, Diploma in Management from London University and MBA from Open University
Ahmed moved to Somaliland late 2002 and joined the ruling party. Due to his political activism and ambition Ahmed was appointed Party spokes person where he shown his political skills and leadership. In 2004, Ahmed became the Chairman of political committee. In August 2006, Ahmed was appointed the Deputy Minister of National Planning and Coordination where he still serves the nation as a Deputy Minister.
Andy Pilcher
Andy worked in London for 10 years with London City Mission before becoming minister of Jerusalem Baptist Church, Briton Ferry in 1987. Andy is the Co-founder of Care for Uganda in 2001. Andy served many years with Churches Broadcasting council producing and presenting programmes for Swansea Sound and Bridge FM. Chairman of Briton Ferry YMCA.
Angela Gorman
Angela undertook nurse training in 1977 at age of 29. She has worked as neonatal (NICU) nurse for 22yrs at UHW and been Senior Sister for 10yrs. Angela is currently seconded to Hope for Grace Kidindo a (charity that is working to prevent maternal deaths in Chad) for 3yrs as facilitated by the Assembly & NHS Trust. Angela is a Senior Trade Unionist for UNISON within Cardiff & Vale NHS Trust where she sat at the Trust Board .Hope for Grace Kidindo was set up 2005 in response to PANORAMA programme highlighting tragedy of maternal mortality in Chad. Essential medicines shipped to Chad which has led to reduction in deaths from 14% to 2.3% & neonatal deaths have reduced from 33% to 7.3%. Visited Chad twice and requested by UNFPA in 2007 to assist Liberia and possibly Sierra Leone where rates are equally challenging. HFGK now involved in Liberia, providing medicines & human resources in the hope that the success in Chad can be replicated.
ALAN THOMAS
Alan Thomas is an independent academic writer, consultant and researcher in international development, specialising in development management, learning and knowledge sharing in development and the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other civil society organizations (CSOs) in development. He was the main force behind the establishment of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in international development at The Open University and worked on North-South capacity building partnerships in distance learning. Amongst his many published books and papers the best known are Poverty and Development into the twenty-First Century Oxford University Press, 2000) and Research Skills for Poverty and Development: Finding out Fast (Sage, 2007).
Since moving home to Wales six years ago, Alan has been joint investigator for a study of the governance of sustainable development in Wales and a member of an international research consortium on policy for electronic distance learning on local sustainability in Africa, and has undertaken desk studies of DFID's engagement with CSOs. He is currently a Visiting Professor at both the Centre for Development Studies, Swansea University and The Open University, a Council member of the Development Studies Association, Convenor of the (Welsh) Network of Development Researchers and a member of the expert panel for the Welsh Assembly Government's 'Wales for Africa' strategy.
Rt. Hon. Alun Michael JP MP
MP of Cardiff South and Penarth for 20 years. He campaigns for Somaliland recognistion and created all party Parliamentary Group for this objective. He is the chair of this GRoup.
Craig Owen
Craig Owen was appointed to develop and manage the Gold Star Communities Project from summer 2007, following 6 years as Oxfam Cymru Campaigns Coordinator during which time he coordinated the Make Poverty History campaign, and was seconded to manage the Tsunami Relief Programme in Indonesia, as well as work stints in Angola and Cambodia. Previously President of the National Union of Students in Wales, he brings a strong range of experience from campaigning, development, youth and international perspectives.
Edna Adan Ismail- Founder and Director of Edna Adan Hospital
(Former First Lady of Somalia 1967-1969, Minster of Family Welfare and Social Development, 2002-2003, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somaliland- 2003-2006)
Edna completed her Nursing and Midwifery at Hammersmith Hospital in 1961 and returned back home to serve her country assuming several senior roles in the health sector. She was the first women to be appointed to a Senior post in the civil service of Somalia. Edna has held senior post within the World Health Organisation in 1991 she was appointed WHO Representative in the Republic of Djibouti as position she held until 1997 when she retired. Edna decided to use her skills and resources to construct the 'Edna Maternity Hospital' which was completed in 2002. The hospital now serves as a referral hospital for a wide geographical area in the Horn of Africa for Obstetrical, Medical and Paediatric emergencies. The Edna Adan Maternity hospital doubles as a Nursing and Midwifery teaching hospital. Since 2002, 59 Registered Nurses, 45 Midwives, 30 Lab Technicians and 60 Traditional Birth Attendants have successfully completed their studies. There are currently 46 student nursing, 7 Health Officers and 22 community Midwives under going training. Due to her commitments to the Health and Welfare of women and children Edna has been awarded various prestigious awards. More recently in 2002 Edna was awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters by Clark University in Worcester Massachusetts, in 2007 Edna became the first African Woman to be added to the Medical Mission Hall of Fame, by Ohio University. Edna has campaigned and continues to campaign against practices such as 'Female Genital Mutilation', gender mainstreaming and human rights. Edna speaks Somali, English, French, Italian and some Arabic.
Ewan Biog
Ewan has eighteen years experience of working in the independent sector in Wales. He is currently Executive Director of Gofal Cymru a leading Welsh mental health charity which delivers services across South East Wales and lobby's government to improve the availability and access to high quality mental health services for people in Wales. Gofal Cymru has a particular interest in improving the availability of culturally appropriate mental health services in Wales by engaging with BME communities at grass roots level and combining the skills and experiences of communities and Gofal Cymru in order to identify solutions. Ewan has been a Trustee of Shelter Cymru for ten years where he currently holds, the position of Chair.
GEOFF LLOYD-MB BCH, MRCP, MRCGP, DTM&H
Geoff Lloyd is a GP working in Pontypridd, South Wales. His interest in overseas development started after volunteering to work in a refugee camp in Ethiopia during the famine of 1984. Since then he has been passionate about alleviating poverty in Africa.
Following his GP training he went to work in Kathmandu Nepal, followed by a year in Saudi Arabia. After undertaking a Diploma in Tropical Medicine in Liverpool he visited various parts of the world looking to set up a partnership link. Following a visit to Uganda in 2003, a community partnership with Mbale was initiated, which has now led to the PONT model developing in Rhondda Cynon Taff.
Rt. Hon. Rhodri Morgan AM
Rt. Hon. Rhodri Morgan is the First Minister of the National Assembly for Wales, following years of service as a Labour spokesman in opposition. A former civil servant educated at Harvard and Oxford,
Tim Daniel
Baptist Minister in Port Talbot since September 2007, Prior to that I was minister in Clevedon, North Somerset for 13 years. I have been involved in Uganda since 2001 and am a founder and trustee of the charity Care for Uganda.
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