REI’s CEO reports on his recent round-the-world trip visiting REI staff in Africa and the Middle East.

REI’s President and CEO, Roderick Beidler, just returned last week from a round-the-world trip to visit REI staff in East Africa and the Middle East. He was joined by REI’s Regional President for East Africa and the Middle East, Rick Heupel, and together they visited REI’s staff in Djibouti and Jordan—and boy, were they excited about what they saw.In Roderick’s words, “Nothing substitutes for being there!”

They visited Tom and Rachel and their team in Djibouti City, Djibouti—which is often called the hottest place on earth, as it sits near the equator and on the African coast. In the summer, our staff endures temperatures of up to 130 degrees plus humidity! What’s more, running water is not a certainty in our staffs’ homes, and when Roderick and Rick arrived, REI’s team leaders had been without running water in their home for weeks (they took sponge baths instead of showers). As Roderick put it, “There is literally nothing about Djibouti City that reminds them of their home in the USA.”

REI’s team works primarily at the University of Djibouti, which educates the top 1% of Djibouti’s graduating high school seniors. Tom teaches an International Relations course entirely in English and Rick and Roderick both had an opportunity to lecture in his class—Rick spoke about relating internationally in the for-profit sector, and Roderick titled his teaching “Rules for Relationships with people from other culture in the nonprofit sector.” The students engaged in lively discussion with Rick and Roderick, and felt encouraged themselves as Roderick finished his lecture by asking them to teach him how to relate to them in their culture. Roderick and Rick learned as much from the students as the students learned from them.

Rick and Roderick also had the opportunity to meet with the Dean of Faculty at the University of Djibouti, a friend of Tom’s, and the Dean told them himself how valuable REI was to the University by asking Roderick to bring as many English teachers and “teachers of teachers of English” to the University as REI can provide. We cannot be given a greater compliment than that! English is the language of the future for Djiboutians, and REI’s staff is poised to impact this French-speaking nation in the Horn of Africa.

(Read more about Tom and Rachel here: http://reidev.frontpageranking.com/life-in-djibouti)

Roderick and Rick also visited REI’s staff member in Egypt. They were struck by the abject poverty of Cairo, and more than that, how unaffected the locals were to the poverty in front of their eyes. REI’s staff member “Lilly” lives and works in the middle of this poverty. She uses her quilting hobby and her background as a successful businesswoman to teach quilting, business, and management skills to a group of women in “Garbage City,” the poorest section of Cairo, as a part of REI’s micro-enterprise development project there. She also gives photography lessons to some of the wealthiest people in Cairo. Her commitment to the people and her flexibility among all economic levels in the city is a testimony to her unique skills and heart.

Roderick and Rick also visited REI staff in Jordan and are excited to see if REI can begin moving into teaching nursing in Jordan.

Our world travelers were touched by our staff member’s obvious expertise in their fields and their deep commitment to the people they’re serving.

…and after a brief stay in Colorado, Roderick is now back on the road (or in the skies, as it were). This month, he is visiting more REI staff around the world, so when he gets back in late November, we’ll share more stories about what Roderick saw on his travels.
Thanks Roderick, Rick, and our staff in Egypt and Djibouti for your commitment to REI! We’re thinking of you on your travels and in your work.