NEWSLETTER
AUGUST 2022
ANNOUNCING CHANGES IN LEADERSHIP
Abaarso Network is pleased to announce some exciting organizational leadership changes as we enter our next stage of growth and focus on leveraging more Somaliland and African-continent leadership experience.
Executive Director
Harry Lee has been named Executive Director of Abaarso Network. In this role, Harry will work with the US and Somaliland Boards to oversee the strategic direction and management of the entire Abaarso Network including Abaarso School, Barwaaqo University, and Kaabe Schools, while also building the resources and team needed to effectively meet the Network’s ambitious goals.
Harry first joined Abaarso School in 2010 and Co-Founded Kaabe Schools in 2019. He worked as Kaabe’s Executive Director and Acting President of Barwaaqo. “Harry was a critical piece of Abaarso’s early success and came back to found and lead the Kaabe initiative. With Kaabe now firmly established and Harry’s previous roles at all three Abaarso institutions, he is ideally positioned to lead the Abaarso Network forward leveraging his extensive experience creating successful outcomes in Somaliland”, said Andra Ehrenkranz, Board Chair of Abaarso Network’s US-based Trustees.
Deputy Director, Abaarso Network
Head of Kaabe Schools
Meg Meiners was raised in East Africa and attended international school in Kenya until finishing Secondary. She studied Secondary Education and History for her Bachelor’s in the United States and then moved to Tanzania to pursue a career in teaching in 2005. She has taught at a number of different levels, ranging from A-levels International History to Early Years Swimming. Meg moved into School Administration in 2018 as the Primary Principal at a school in Zanzibar, Tanzania and into a shared role as Primary Principal and Student Services Coordinator the following year. Since then, she has completed her Masters in Special Educational Needs. Meg has three children who attend Kaabe.
Head of Abaarso School
Chris Green joins Abaarso after serving three years as Head of Residential Life with the United World College (UWC) East Africa in Arusha Tanzania where he also taught IB Economics and Theory of Knowledge (TOK). Previous to Tanzania, Chris has served as Head of School with Bilkent Laboratory & International School (BLIS) in Ankara, Turkey, Assistant Head of School with Rancho Solano Preparatory School in Arizona, US, and Head of Secondary with Sage Ridge School in Reno, US.
Head of Barwaaqo University
Marlee Burns is the incoming Head of School for Barwaaqo University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Middle Eastern Studies and Plan II Honors from the University of Texas at Austin, and her Masters in Policy, Organization and Leadership Studies from the Stanford Graduate School of Education. During her time at Stanford, her research focused on implementing design thinking curricula in schools. Her professional experience is at the intersection of rural education and technology, having spent time as a Fulbright Scholar in rural Azerbaijan and three years as the Head of Upper School at Abaarso School. She also interned with the White House during the Obama Administration and spent several years as an engineer with Down Dog App in Silicon Valley. She is thrilled to be returning to Somaliland and to be working with innovative, driven educators and brilliant young students.
Beyond Abaarso
This year has been a great success at Abaarso School, with students being accepted to many universities and boarding schools abroad, continuing the Abaarso reputation of excellence. We are so proud of all our students who have been accepted to programs around the world. We are also grateful for all our supporters that have made it possible for these kids to expand their educational horizons far beyond the normal reach for Somaliland students.
University and College Acceptances:
Zakariye Mubarik – Grinnell College
Marwan Warsame – University of Rochester
Nafisa Ahmed – Smith College
Khalid Duale – Oberlin College
Khadar Abdilahi – Fairfield University
Bashir Hassan – Lewis and Clark College
Muhiyadin Yusuf – Franklin and Marshall College
Abdirahman Salad – Whitman College
Duale Duale – Pomona College
Mustafe Ali – Carleton College
Amira Rashid – Trinity College
Roda Adem – Amherst College
Abas Iman – Binus University
Abdilahi Ahmed Haji – TCU
Ferdous Yousef – TCU
Awo Ali – Tufts University
Isra Abdirahman – Trinity College
Suldann Ali – Wesleyan University
Barira Hussein – Concordia University
Abdirahman Yusuf – Concordia University
Najma Ahmed – Hobart
Hoodo Adam – College of Charleston
Suhaib Ali – Pacific Lutheran
Boarding School and PG Year Programs:
Abdinajib Abdilahi – Aiglon College (Switzerland)
Zamir Aden – UWC ISAK
Haadiya Yasin – Assist
Hamdi Abdikarim – Assist
Abdisalam Abdi – Assist
Ahmed Abdilahi – Assist
Barwaaqo University Graduate Acceptances
The Class of 2022 is only the second class to graduate from Barwaaqo University and yet they have already had tremendous success producing graduates that will go on to further their education beyond their bachelor’s degrees.
Mariam Omar Jamac:
School: National Chung Cheng
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Program: Educational Management Leadership Development (2 years)
Scholarship/Financial Aid: ICFD
Start date: August 2022
Bahja Abdirahman Abdilahi:
School: Admas University
Location: Hargeisa, Somaliland
Program: Education Leadership Management (2-year program)
Scholarship/Financial Aid: From her uncle who works there
Start date: February 2022
Bilan Mohamed Abdi:
School: New Generation University
Location: Hargeisa, Somaliland
Program: Project Planning Management (1.5 year program)
Scholarship/Financial Aid: 50% scholarship
Start date: November 2022
