Meet Frank Soree, Climate Change Advisor, VSO E.

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My name is Frank Soree, from the Netherlands and I am working for VSO Ethiopia in Addis Ababa since May 2012. It's a great place to be, with about 20 colleagues who are working at the programme office mainly on education and health projects. Since my placement is part of the business partnership which my company (Royal HaskoningDHV) has with VSO in the Netherlands, I am here for six months. A so-called short-termer. But especially my sister and girlfriend think differently about that definition of 'short'.

My job for the VSO Ethiopia programme office has two parts. First: setting up the secure livelihoods programme area plan (PAP) for Ethiopia, including climate change related aspects in the planned interventions and partnerships. And second: introducing climate change in the VSO Ethiopia education and health programmes.

For the Livelihood PAP, my local counterpart and I did a scan of the livelihood situation in Ethiopia as a starting point. Meeting with local NGOs working on livelihood projects to find out what is happening, and at the same time making a shortlist for possible partnering. We also had meetings in Addis Ababa and in the intervention areas. We travelled to the so called 'emerging regions' to find out what specific challenges are present there. We also visited governmental bureaus like agriculture and natural resources. Small- and micro-enterprises have been consulted to make the PAP fit on as much as possible sides. Presentation of the draft PAP will be done halfway through August during a consulting workshop with our major stakeholders. Exciting!

The second part will build on the climate change effects we already mapped. For health, one of the focus areas will be on awareness creation on nutrition and prevention of certain diseases. In education, access to school for children as part of livelihood circumstances is one of the links we identified with climate related food security. Something different than the work I used to do – environmental consultancy for oil and gas companies producing and shipping oil around the world. However, mapping and reducing impacts from industrial activity on the one hand, and those from climate change do have a common ground; we focus on the vulnerable people. People first. And that’s what gives the satisfaction. Reaching them and seeing that we can actually make that change!

Altogether a wonderful job. My first job for VSO and who knows what’s next. Right now it feels like Africa is embracing me and I feel the same way!

And how's everyday life in Addis? Wonderful people. A lovely, busy street life. Great food. And my passion in Holland – cycling – I can do at spinning classes twice a week now in the rainy season. And off course I brought my running shoes! I’ve already joined in one race, which was kicked off by Haile Gebreselassie himself! A real joy, running in Ethiopia. Every time I go there is at least one kid that wants to beat me to the end of the road. A stimulating environment to extent your limits, in development and also on the streets!

Frank Soree