Thursday 18 February 2010

Reminiscences: The return of a great teacher = 4 years ago

August 15, 2006

By Abdullah Omar Qadi
Mr. Walter Stewart was a Peace Corps Volounteer teacher in Borama from 1963-64. I believe Borama citizens at that time acknowledges him as the most remarkable foriegn teacher that Borama had. Tall, bespectacled and young but very fascinating person, he came to the Day intermedait School with another Paece Corps teacher . He taught grades 6 and 7 from 1963-64.
Students in those years remember him for his kindness, resourcefulness and undiminishing vigor. He too remembers some students, particularly those of class 1963 gradutes, and espcailly his favourite students. At that time his eye caught young Mohamed Sheikh Abdillah, who showed exceptional academic skills. Young Mohamed was bent to enter the {CTC] clerical Training Centre inorder to start job sooner. His plan was to help his brothers at earliest possible time.
Walter persuaded him to go to high school, seeing that a clerical career was not fitting for  such gifted person. Walter’S charitable spirit saved Mohmed from being a cleric. While Mohamed attended Sheikh Secondary School, Walter generously remitted financial support to Mohamed’s family for four years. After Mohamed graduated  from Sheikh, Walter helped him to procure a scholarship in the USA. In his later life Mohamed established the most significant NGO in Awdal Region. He was member of the Somaliland National Electrol Commission when he died in 2004.
Walter  had indomitable spirit for doing more assistance for the school.Walter. He started  a volley ball court in the school yard and taught the students how to play. Soon he took another task and began  to construct dozen of small cupboards at wall of the a classroom and constructed a huge movable semi circle  board above the blackboard for staging science experiment and demonstrations.
Something we never expected happened. All the American peace corps were to leave the country immediately because of the Somali-Ehtiopian war of 1964. Walter was to leave tomorrow, but the cupboards have to be painted. Walter was not a man to leave a job unfinished.  Borama did´nt  have electricity at time So he asked some students to rent a couple of tilly lamps. It took him hours in that night to finish it.  Maybe my school mates remember more about his wonderful assistance at that time.
He was in Borama last febraury and his surprise visit made our day at that time. While he was visiting the some schools in Borama , he saw some of his ex-students in a classroom teaching. That must have gladdened his heart. His ex-students, arranged a dinner reception at Rays Hotel. He was overwelhmed with emotion to see that he earned a respect and a undisputed recognition from them. His presence invoked the sweet memories of our young days.
He said it was regretful that he did’nt visit the Borama for that long period. We sensed that Borama had a place in his big heart. At that night , each of us briefly told his story. He said that he was retired now. After returning to USA in 1964, he went to George Washington Law School and afterwards went Chicago Business School.
Then he worked with a USAID funded agency that assisted in new joint venture business between African  entrepeneures and US companies from offices in Chicago, Abidjan, Lagos  and Nairobi . Later he had a career in banking with English and European Merchant and investment Banks. Now he came to see Borama and do significant charity work with Edna Adan Maternity Hospital in Hargeisa.
With him , he brought some historical pictures. A pictures he took  years ago. The pictures flabbergasted us. We had hilarious time repeatedly looking at it. . We teased and joked  to each other, as who looked younger or older. . We could hardly imagined ourselves how we looked 42 years ago
These memories are embeddedin in the past recollections of that time, reflecting our innocences, ambitions, visions and all that we strived to improve our future. As I looked the picture of Class 63 gradautes, I could’nt help to realize that  class of students are like leaves in one tree, eventually ready to be scattered by a wind of destiny.
On behalf of my schoolmates and classmates in Borama, I wish to express our sincere apprecaition to Mr Walter Stewart. Again and again, wa are saying welcome back to the marvalous city of Borama.



The class graduates of 1963
Lowest row(sitting) from right to left;
1.Abdirahman  bakhaargudhiye” in pink shirt  (In Abu Dhabi)
2.Mohamed Hussien hadi  (In Canada)
3.Faysal Mohamed Hassan. (in Abu Dhabi)
4.Hussein Jama “Maraykan”  (In Canada)
5.Hassan Tubeec  ( in Hargeisa)
6.Mohameed Ali Qaadac ‘holding the book’ (in yemen)
7. Ibrahim Haji Abdi ( Rahama Allah)
8.Mohaned Khalif “Xawasheeye” (Raxama Allah)
9.Omar Farah Abraar (in Borama)
10.Muse Mumin Maydal. (Rahama Allah)
11. Ali Ayeh (holding a book over his head) (Rahama Allah)
12. Ali Allatuuk  (in Djibouti)
13.Abdi Aadan Awaleh  (In Nairobi)
14. Mohamed Ali (In Canada)
 Standing Row – from right to left
1. Adan         (saanfiil) (rahama Allah)
2. Muse Osman (Rahama Allah)
3. Mohamed Nuh Ali (In Canada)
4. Mohamed Barkhad ‘Xamaal” (in Hargiesa)
5. Abdulasis Abdulle Mubarak (Rahama Allh)
6. Abdi Awil (Rahama Allah)
7.Abubaker Dahir (in Djibouti)
8. ‘Captain’ (In Borama)
9. Ali Jama ‘cantar’ (in Borama)
10.Hassan Haji Dahir ( Rahama Allah)
11. Mohamed Sh. Abdillahi (Rahama Allah)
12.Abdillahi Ahmed Dafe =holding hands up-= ( JigJiga)
13.Ismail Muse ( Sweden)
14. Ibrahim Hassan (in Plastine)
15 Omar.
16. Ali Abdulla Sancaani (Borama)
17. Elmi Ibrahim ( Borama)
Walter took these Pictures in the courtyard of his  house. Probably is the day we heard that Walter is going back to the States. The students in this picture were in different grades.

 Walter wiith Mohamed Shiekh Abdillah’s Family members, the two kids and the wife he eft. They invited to their house for dinner during his recent visit.











Photo of Abdullah Omar Qadi taken by Walt himself in 1964
Abdullah Omar Qadi sogsogley@hotmail.com
Borama: Somaliland

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